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A new route is planned to connect Kazakhstan with the neighbouring Altai Republic in Siberia. The Altai Republic intends to boost tourism in a bid to help develop its economy. During 2017, over 2 million people visited the Altai republic. Meanwhile Kazakhstan is also hoping to increase the numbers of tourists visiting the country every year, hoping to diversify its economy. At the moment the road networks of both countries are rather underdeveloped.

Two road construction contracts have been awarded in Dubai, which will improve connections for the coming Dubai Expo 2020 event. Worth a total of US$171.5 million, the work will be for the final phases of existing projects. The phase 5 deal includes building a total of 3km of roads and 2.6km of bridges while the phase 6 deal including building 8km of roads and 1.4km of bridges. The construction work also includes improving an intersection that links Emirates Road and Jebel Ali-Lehbab Road.

An innovative onsite power source utilising fuel cell technology has been developed jointly by Intelligent Energy and Taylor Construction Plant (TCP Ltd). This novel, no-emission power product meets the very strictest environmental legislation, allowing it to be used in low emission zones in urban areas or in enclosed areas such as underground quarries, tunnels or carparks where ventilation may be limited. The firms say that this off-grid hydrogen fuel cell power product is designed to meet the changing ne

Bonfiglioli and CVTCORP have signed a licensing agreement regarding transmissions. Under the terms of the deal, Bonfiglioli has an exclusive licensing agreement for Bonfiglioli to manufacture and sell CVTCORP’s patented mCVT technology for telehandlers and other equipment. These innovative high-efficiency mechanical Continuously Variable Transmissions (mCVT) suits use in the off-highway market. The cooperation between Bonfiglioli and CVTCORP will include developing a full line of transmissions based on the

A funding package has been secured that will help pay for a key road project in Nepal. The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is providing a loan worth US$180 million that will be used to help pay for widening work to an 87km stretch of the East-West Highway between Kamala and Kanchanpur. At present the route has just one lane in either direction but the upgrade will see the route being widened in a bid to boost capacity and safety, with two lanes in either direction. The project is being managed by the Nepalese

Guatemala has been spending heavily on developing its road network. Work has been carried out to 10 major routes, totalling 153km. One of the important routes to have benefited from improvements is the road connecting Tulate with La Maquina. The country has set a budget of US£208.5 million for road repairs and maintenance works in 2018. A further 25 contracts will be awarded for repairs works in December 2018.

A major UK highway maintenance contract has been won by Balfour Beatty. The seven year deal is worth £103 million and was awarded by Telford and Wrekin Council for the maintenance of highways assets. The package also comes with an option to extend the contract for a further seven years. Balfour Beatty Living Places will work with the Council to maintain the Borough’s 1,002km of highways and 1,189km of footpaths, provide drainage cleansing services as well as winter gritting and reactive highways maintena

Construction work is now well underway in Australia on the Monash Freeway upgrade in Victoria State. The project has entered its second stage and is costing US$513.5 million (A$711 million. The work involves building 36km of new lanes as well as installing the latest traffic information technology for drivers. For the section from Warrigal Road to the EastLink the router will be widened to five lanes in either direction, compared with four in either direction at present. Meanwhile between Clyde Road and Car