Highway & Network Management

A major award for outstanding highway work has been given for the I-279/SR28 connector ramp project. The project design team was recently given the 2009 Outstanding Highway Project Award by the American Society of Highway Engineers (ASHE).

The sophisticated RFX wireless weighing indicator system from Intercomp uses field-proven technology in a compact, hand-held unit. The indicator can be used with any Intercomp RFX scale system and use 2.4GHz wireless frequencies. The wireless indicator can works with up to six scales at once and can be used to control scales remotely from safe distances. Products can be combined to accommodate modular applications for a variety of scenarios. The indicator allows users to show the weights in cumulative total

Japan's Transport Ministry is working on plans to remove toll charges for passenger cars using 1,626km of the country's expressways. The move is be used as a trial to evaluate benefits to the economy as well as on transportation businesses and traffic congestion.

Work is due to start on the Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway (TPLEx) in the Philippines in March 2010. The new highway will cut travel time and help boost economic development in and around Luzon.

The Australian Government is on track with its US$37 billion (A$42 billion) stimulus plan, announced in January 2009. The country's Federal Government has approved over 49,000 infrastructure and construction projects in all, including a number of key highway projects.

The novel Tuff Curb system developed in the US offers a durable, high performance separator kerb product. The TuffCurb system can be used in conjunction with the range of spring-mounted posts and signs from Impact Recovery Systems. Highly versatile this kerbing system is said to be easy to install and can be used for curves, medians, edge lines, work zones and rail crossings.

Skanska is preferred bidder to develop the Antofagasta Toll Road in Chile under a PPP model. The firm has beaten tough competition for this project and says it will not require government subsidies for the work, which is due to commence in 2011.