Road Structures

The tender process is due to open for a major road project in Chile. The budget for the project has now been increased from US$520 million to $800 million as extra works have now been included in the project. The work will be carried out on the Talca-Chillan section of Ruta 5, the main north-south highway in Chile. The winner of the tender process will carry out the construction work and then have a 10 year concession package to manage the highway. Rute 5 is one of the most important highways in Chile, stre

A new bypass and bridge project for Tolyatti will commence in Russia’s Samara region. The bridge will span the Volga River and the work is costing US$462.4 million. The funds will be allocated in three stages. The first tranche will be received in 2019, while the second and third will be transferred in 2020 and 2021 respectively. The 97km road project includes the 3.75km bridge link, with opening due in 2024.

A new plan from Slovakia’s Ministry for Transport and Construction will see upgrade work being carried out to 180km of major roads and 60 or more bridges. A finance package of €200 million has been secured for the work, which will be carried out over the next 36 months. This programme of works is being financed by the OP Integrated Infrastructure (OPII) fund. At present, 122km of dual carriageways and motorways are under construction in Slovakia according to the state-owned road firm NDS. Completion of the

Construction is now underway for the 27km Cavite stretch of the Cavite-Laguna-Expressway (CAVEX) project in the Philippines.

Construction work for the fourth bridge crossing over the Panama Canal is expected to commence in late 2019. The project is costing US$1.42 billion and the new bridge will be built by a Chinese contracting consortium comprising China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC) and China Communications Construction Company (CCCC). The 6.5km bridge will feature three lanes in either direction, as well as two light rail tracks.

A major highway widening project is now planned for the M20 route in the Netherland. A budget of €124 million has been set for the work, which will see the stretch between Nieuwekerk aan den IJssel and Gouda being widened. This section features two lanes in either direction at present but the work will see the stretch featuring three lanes in either direction. The work will help reduce congestion and delays for drivers, improving journey times at peak periods.

Construction of the Fehmarn Belt Fixed Link between Denmark and Germany should start this autumn for completion in 2028, according to the Danish government. Danish company Femern, which is responsible for the construction of the link, will begin negotiations with two contractor consortiums for the first of the project’s works which will start on the Danish side. A tunnel element fabrication yard and a works harbour must be built in Rødbyhavn, as well as a tunnel portal on Lolland. An autumn start wou

Calls have been made for the route of Thailand's third western ring road to be changed. Locals in Ayutthaya, Samut Sakhon, Pathum Thani, Nakhon Pathom and Nonthaburi provinces are petitioning for the project to be diverted. The ring road will be largely elevated and stretch 98km in all. An analysis of the route and the possibility for changes is to be carried out. When complete, the new link will connect Rama II and Ayutthaya.