News

Wirtgen has rounded out its new large milling machine series for the Asian market by unveiling the W 195 and W 205. In addition, the third and most powerful machine in the series, the W 215, is also being introduced to the Chinese market. The W 195 weighs in at 29.16tonnes and cuts a 2m width, with power from a diesel delivering 410kW. The W 205 also cuts a 2m width but weighs 30.1tonnes and is powered by a 455kW diesel. Meanwhile the W 215 model weighs in at 30.29tonnes and cuts a 2m width, with power from

Paver specialist Vögele is widening its product range of pavers for the Chinese market. The company is now offering the Super 1600L and Super 1600-3L variants in China, in addition to models such as the existing Super 1880L. As with the Super 1880L, the two new models feature larger hoppers (denoted by the L suffix) than standard pavers for Europe and other markets. This 15tonne hopper capacity allows the pavers to match the bigger asphalt delivery trucks used by Chinese contractors. The Super 1600L forms

A new proposal to introduce road user charging for Hong Kong has been put forward in a bid to cut congestion. The Hong Kong Policy Research Institute (HKPRI) has suggested that open road tolling would help improve journey times for drivers, while delivering a smart city solution to Hong Kong’s chronic congestion. Cashless tolling technology has been suggested as helping deliver the best option, by eliminating the need for drivers to stop and make payments, optimising smart mobility.

A loan from the World Bank will help pay for a series of road upgrades across Nepal. The US$133 million loan will be directed towards improving 12,412km of Nepal’s road network, including both major highways and secondary link roads. Also benefiting from the loan will be many of Nepal’s bridges. Maintenance work will be carried out to 90 bridges and safety measures will be improved on 180 bridges. Construction work will be completed on 92 bridges being built at present, while a further 115 existing bridges

Bulgaria and Romania have the worst road casualty rates of any EU nations, with data for 2016 revealing the extent of the problem. In 2016 Bulgaria saw 999 fatalities/1,000,000 of population while Romania saw 97 road deaths/1,000,000 of population. Poland and Lithuania also scored poorly on road safety at 80 deaths/1,000,000 of population, while Hungary saw 62 road deaths/1,000,000 of population. The average across the EU nations was 50 road deaths/1,000,000 of population. Meanwhile Sweden saw the best road

Construction is still underway on new toll lanes for Interstate 77 in North Carolina. The US$647 million project is expected to improve traffic flow on the most congested stretches close to the city of Charlotte. Some new tolled stretches of the northbound section could be open before the end of 2018. However the southbound section is not expected to open until 2019.

A new highway link is planned to be built in China’s Ma'anshan city. The 19km link will improve traffic flow between the centre of the city and the Bowang District. Costing US$147 million, the new link will feature dual lanes for traffic in either direction. Construction will be carried out in three separate phases, with work on the first phase expected to commence at the end of 2018 and with tendering due for the second and third phase in due course.

Construction is commencing on a 4.4km stretch of the Southern Beltway in the US state of Pennsylvania. This forms part of a project for a 21km section of toll road, with its completion expected in 2022. The entire project is for the extension of the Southern Beltway from the Turnpike 576 terminus at US Route 22 in Robinson Township, to a new interchange with Interstate 79 at the Allegheny-Washington County line. The work is needed to boost capacity and improve transport, while cutting congestion for drivers

Progress is being seen in New Zealand for the US$456.5 million (NZ$709 million) project to construct a highway connecting Puhoi with Warkworth. The new route will feature dual lanes in either direction and should be ready for traffic towards the end of 2021. Vehicle numbers are increasing in New Zealand and by 2026, the route is expected to carry 35,000 vehicles/day. The project includes extending the Northern Motorway and linking it to the SH1 routes, which involves removing 4 million m3 of spoil.

Funding from the World Bank will help with the development of Vietnam’s North-South Expressway project. The Vietnamese Government has sourced US$214 million for the project already from its own funds. The highway will stretch 654km across the country, speeding transport and helping develop trade and tourism. Because of the project’s scale, the work is being split into 11 separate stretches and should be complete by 2025.