Finance & Funding

Azerbaijan invested around US$395 million in the repair and construction of almost 1,900 km roads and built road bridge, the government said.

Australia’s construction activity might be slowing down after this year, according to an analysis of the country’s infrastructure activity by Deloitte Access Economics. While a number of factors support an optimistic view that business investment could lift more sharply than forecast over the next two years, latest quarterly Investment Monitor from Deloitte Access Economics is predicting slower growth. “Although the healthy project pipeline will continue to support elevated levels of infrastructure activi

Construction of Vietnam’s North-South expressway is planned to commence during 2019. An initial funding package of US$600 million will pay for the start of the works, which includes buying the land and clearing the way for the route. The winners of the tenders for the first sections should be announced in April-June 2019, with these sections due for completion in 2021. The winners of the tenders for a bridge section on the route should be announced in October 2019, with the bridge due for completion in 2022

A feasibility study is to be carried out for the planned highway connecting Nigeria’s commercial centre Lagos with Ivory Coast capital Abidjan.

Strong sales of construction machines in Italy reflect an improving economy according to construction machinery manufacturing association, UNACEA. During 2018, 14,645 construction machines were sold in the Italian market, a growth of 16% compared to the previous year. Sales of earthmoving machines were particularly healthy, hitting 14,144 units and showing 16% growth from the previous year. Sales of road construction machines grew by 2% to 501 units meanwhile. “2018 has been an encouraging year for the I

A huge investment in road upgrades is being planned in the US state of Michigan. The programme of works could cost an additional US$1.5 billion/year, with upgrades for highway routes and key interstate links. The Michigan Department of Transportation's (MDOT) says that this budget will be needed to improve the state’s key road links to the standard required. At the moment just half the required funding is in place, leading to a shortfall in road improvement work. The backlog on repairs and improvements to r

Construction of Montenegro’s Bar-Boljare motorway now looks likely to cost substantially more than originally planned. The project was originally budgeted at €80 million however Montenegro’s Ministry of Transport has now revealed that the work will have a pricetag some €15 million greater, totalling €95 million. This increase is considerably more than had been allowed for. The work is to be carried out by Chinese contractor CRBC although the deal has yet to be signed officially. The Smokovac-Matesevo stretc

A new bridge carrying Interstate 10 is being planned for Calcasieu in Louisiana. The new structure is expected to cost from US$400-600 million to construct and will feature three lanes in either direction, with provision also for cyclists and pedestrians. The bridge will be built to the north of the existing I-10 bridge, which was constructed in 1952 and is no longer able to cope adequately with the traffic volumes it carries. The new bridge is expected to be funded privately, with tolls for drivers crossin