News

Plans are in hand in Russia’s capital Moscow for the rebuilding of nine highways leading out of the city. The work will be carried out by 2014 and is being funded out of the US$69.55 billion budget set for the city’s 2012-2016 transport development programme.

Komatsu has revealed two new mid-sized excavators – the PC240LC-10 and PC290LC-10. Komatsu’s Dash 10 excavators are said to bring improved efficiency, lower fuel consumption, better operator comfort and lower operating costs to market. And the two new Dash 10 models include the 26tonne PC240LC-10 and 31.9tonne PC290LC-10.

The tender process for Indonesia’s Suramadu bridge project will be reopened.

Reductions in road building budgets are being implemented in various departments in France, in a bid to cut overall spending. In 2009 some €4.5 billion was spent on the road budget, compared with €3.9 billion planned for 2012.

In India work is now kicking off on a new eight lane highway running from Nariman Point to Kandivali in Mumbai. The 35km highway will cost a projected US$1.58 billion to build.

Building two additional lanes in the US state of Colorado for the C-470 freeway between Wadsworth Boulevard and Interstate 25 is expected to cost some US$200 million.

Plans are moving forward in France for the beltway project around the city of Strasbourg.

Traffic technology company Siemens has launched a new low-cost coating for traffic controllers and signals which provides lasting protection against dirt and acts as an anti-graffiti barrier, making it difficult to attach posters or write on the protected surface.

Intelligent Energy, a specialist in clean power systems, and the Suzuki Motor Corporation have announced the creation of a joint venture company called Smile FC System Corporation, to develop and manufacture air-cooled fuel cell systems for a range of industry sectors.

Nissan North America, leading power and technology group ABB, along with 4R Energy and Sumitomo Corporation of America, have formed a partnership to evaluate the reuse of lithium-ion battery packs that power the Nissan Leaf.

The US Department of Transportation's Intelligent Transportation Systems Joint Program Office (ITS JPO) has released the following three research reports related to Connected Vehicle policy.

Morocco’s highway network continues to improve and develop, with new sections and connections being opened.

A low level of investment in improvements and upgrades to Germany’s highway network is causing concern in the country’s transport sector. Some states have revealed a backlog of works needing to be carried out, with road surfaces now reaching the end of their design life and bridges requiring replacement in different parts of the country. Transport groups say that continuing low road maintenance budgets will further exacerbate the problem.

Australian toll-road owner and investor, Transurban, said its “true defensive nature” appeal to investors had enabled it to achieve a 27.1% increase in net profit.

Komatsu said commercial availability of hybrid technology for the European construction equipment market is now available, in the guise of the Hybrid HB215LC-1 excavator. As a second-generation hybrid excavator, the HB215LC-1 replaces the PC200-8 Hybrid with an operating weight of 21tonnes and bucket sizes ranging from 0.8-1.05m3.