Road Structures

Plans are in hand for road widening work and surfacing upgrades for a key route crossing Zimbabwe. The highway upgrade is being carried out by a joint venture partnership between Chinese firm China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC) and Austrian Company Geiger International. This follows agreements being reached between the joint venture partners and the Zimbabwe Government. The work is needed as the existing road links along the route are unable to cope with that current traffic volumes that include a high

All six consortia that submitted documents in May to design and build a fourth bridge over the Panama Canal have pre-qualified, according to media reports. The companies officially vying for the estimated US$1 billion contract are: • Dragados • Consorcio CCB: Constructora Norberto Odebrecht, Odebrecht Engenharia e Construcao International • Consorcio Hyundai, Sacyr JV • Consorcio Astaldi – Daelim • Consorcio Panamá Cuarto Puente: China Communications Contruction Company, China Harbour Engi

A major new highway project connecting the UK’s university cities of Oxford and Cambridge has been proposed. A new study by the Department for Transport (DfT) has set out the case to improve connections between Oxford, Milton Keynes and Cambridge. The Oxford to Cambridge expressway strategic study is one of a number of studies aimed at addressing some of the biggest challenges facing the road network in the UK. The study has been carried out by WSP | Parsons Brinckerhoff, CH2M and Steer Davies Gleave.

Contracts are now being awarded for a major new expressway project in Malaysia. The contracts relate to the project to construct the Sungai Besi-Ulu Kelang Elevated Expressway (SUKE). Malaysian firm Gabungan AQRS is now handling a US$126.4 million subcontract for the project that involves building a bridge section. This package of works should take two years to complete with the work scheduled to finish by the end of 2018.

The tender process for a major new highway project in Argentina is expected to commence in 2017. The new highway will connect Santa Fe with San Justo and will measure 82km in length. The project is expected to cost in the region of US$166 million to construct, with funding being supplied by the Inter-American Development Bank. The schedule for the project has not been finalised and will not be clarified until the tender is awarded but construction work could commence during 2018.

The UK’s Department for Transport (DfT) has put forward five alternate route options for a new highway connecting the cities of Manchester and Sheffield. The project looks likely to include a major tunnel section measuring as much as 20-30km in length that would run under the Peak District. The aim of the project would be to cut journey times between the two cities as the existing transport routes are prone to peak period congestion and delays at present. The route would connect either the M60 or M67 motorw

Namibia is investing in road development with a series of major projects now being targeted. The country has a major need to improve its road system, which does not have sufficient capacity in some urban areas and also suffers from serious safety concerns right across the nation. The country’s road authority will invest close to US$39 million to improve roads in the Oshana, Kavango, Oshikoto and Ohangwena regions. Two roads prioritised for improvement works include the Oshakati-Okahao and Oshakati-Outapi ro

The World Bank looks likely to supply funding that will help pay for a major road improvement project in Nicaragua. The US$75 million loan should be agreed by November 2016, if all goes to plan. The funding will pay for major improvement works for the road connecting Nicaragua’s capital Managua with the country’s second city, Leon. At present the route suffers heavily from congestion at peak periods and is unsuited to the traffic volumes it has to cope with. The construction work is expected to commence in