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Marini is offering new versions of its Xpress plant. The first version was the Xpress 2500, but the range is now being widened with the addition of the Xpress 1500, 1500P, 2000 and 2000P models. Andrea Zanoletti is in charge of this range and explained that the plants are designed for maximum mobility. He said, “With only two trailers, you have a complete asphalt plant.” The existing Xpress 2500 model offers an output of up to 250tonnes/hour. However, the new Xpress 1500 and 1500P offer outputs of 150

A loan will help pay for a new highway project in India’s Chhattisgarh State. The US$350 million loan is being provided by the Asian Development Bank (ADB). In all the highway is expected to cost $521.7 million, with the remaining $171.7 million being provided by the Indian Government. The new highway is expected to boost trade and transport in the state.

Construction work on a major road bridge project is commencing in Germany. The new bridge will be located in the Upper Moselle area in Germany and is expected to cost €483 million. The bridge will carry the B50 route and its construction will improve transport connections with Belgium and the Netherlands. However the project has not been without controversy, not the least of which has been that it is being built in the Moselle Region, Germany’s major wine producing area. Although planned long ago, resistanc

Road safety improved in France during 2018, compared with 2017. There were 3,488 road fatalities recorded in France during 2018, a drop of 5.3% compared with the previous year. This comes in spite of a gradual increase in traffic volumes in France, up 7% from 2013 for example. The data comes from the official body, Sécurité Routière. According to Sécurité Routière, the reduction in speed limits on France’s secondary road network has had a key benefit to overall road safety. The highest risk roads in France

Road safety improved in France during 2018, compared with 2017. There were 3,488 road fatalities recorded in France during 2018, a drop of 5.3% compared with the previous year. This comes in spite of a gradual increase in traffic volumes in France, up 7% from 2013 for example. The data comes from the official body, Sécurité Routière. According to Sécurité Routière, the reduction in speed limits on France’s secondary road network has had a key benefit to overall road safety. The highest risk roads in France

Costa Rica’s Ministry of Public Works and Transports (MOPT) is planning 110 road improvement projects, with a total cost of US$144 million. Construction will start on the first 14 of these in July 2019, with the work being carried out by the contractor MECO. Funding for the work is being provided by the Inter-American Development Bank (IADB) in the shape of a loan. The tender processes for a further 10 projects are commencing, with tenders for an additional 18 projects due to commence in July 2019.

The Miller PowerLatch Tilt was recently the attachment of choice for Yorkshire-based engineering consultancy JN Bentley, part of global engineering consultancy Mott MacDonald.

Komatsu Europe claims improved performance and versatility for its new WB93R‐8 backhoe loader. This is the first model of a new range in line with EU Stage IV emission regulations. Upgrades for the new backhoe loaders include better visibility and increased productivity. The new WB93R‐8 has an operating weight of 8.1tonnes, with power from a fuel efficient, Stage IV compliant Komatsu SAA4D99E‐1 diesel delivering 75kW. It has a Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) after‐treatment system using AdBlue, which

Engcon has announced that the company’s new EC233 series tiltrotator is in full production. According to the Swedish manufacturer, the EC233, with a break torque of 340kNm, will be the market's most powerful tiltrotator for excavators between 24-33tonnes. The EC233 replaces Engcon’s EC30, which has been in production since the mid 1990's, notes Robert Hunt, managing director of Engcon UK. The product development cycle was focused on destructive tests where both mountings and connectors were exposed to

Wacker Neuson is now offering a heavy-duty wheeled loader with the introduction of its WL95 model. The new 10tonne class machine is the largest wheeled loader offered by Wacker Neuson but retains the firm’s compact design. It features the latest ecospeedPRO transmission, with customers offered a choice of two engine versions that meet the latest emission standards. The machine is designed for materials handling applications with large construction contractors and recycling companies. Wacker Neuson will now

The European Union Road Federation (ERF) recently held a road safety workshop in Malta* Infrastructure Malta is entrusted with handling Malta’s recently announced – and unprecedented - road investment of more than €700 million over the next seven years. The government is also tapping into several European Union funds to support its own investment. Projects include construction of the Marsa Junction Project, a new seven-flyover, multi-level intersection to improve the efficiency of the country’s most imp

Mexico’s Quintana Roo State is to benefit from major expansion works to its transport infrastructure.

A new road connection is planned in Algeria that will connect the Eastern Motorway to the RN5 route.

A consortium made up of Cintra, Aberdeen Standard Investments and Macquarie Capital will build the new Silvertown Tunnel under the River Thames in the UK. The new tunnel is expected to cost £1 billion to construct. The tunnel will link the Greenwich Peninsula on the southern side of the Thames with Silvertown on the northern side. Construction of this new link will help reduce congestion on the existing Blackwall Tunnel, which is notorious for lengthy traffic delays at present. When the tunnel opens, it wil

A joint venture team has been awarded the US$1.7 billion I-635 LBJ East infrastructure project in Dallas, Texas. Fluor Corporation heads the joint venture, which also includes Balfour Beatty Infrastructure. The partners will carry out the contract to design and construct the I-635 LBJ East Project in Dallas for the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT). The scope of work includes the widening and full reconstruction of nearly 18km of the I-635 route, which is also known as LBJ Freeway. In addition, th

The drive to lower engine emissions is delivering cleaner power solutions – Mike Woof writes

Argentina is looking to source a series of loans to pay for six important road projects. The Inter-American Development Bank (IADB) is in discussions with officials in the country over the loans package, worth a total of US$200 million. The funding would be used for six PPP road projects. Other financing worth $900 million is also being secured for the six road projects, with some of the construction work already underway.

Both Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) and Hanoi in Vietnam are to benefit from new transport infrastructure. For HCMC, as much as $39.6 billion will be required to deliver all of the 85 transport infrastructure projects being planned. Severe congestion and flooding are frequent problems causing major traffic hold-ups. Of the 85 transport projects needed for the city, 15 are for the construction of new roads while 55 are for road/bridge works. A further eight are for rail links and seven for waterways. Meanwhile in

Progress is being made for Colombia’s Toyo Tunnel project. Around 20% of the work has been carried out. Building the tunnel and the first stage of the connecting highway sections in Antioquia includes the construction of 17 bridges, seven tunnel sections and 4.4km of road. Tendering for the second stage of the project is due to start soon and will include building a further 19.4km of highway. The Toyo Tunnel project and the entire highway was originally expected to cost US$603.5 million but is now expected

Listening to loud rock music while driving could have a negative effect on road safety. This is according to research carried out jointly by IAM RoadSmart and the magazine Auto Express. The research used a sophisticated driving simulator system. A test driver sat in the Base Performance Simulator while tackling a simulation of the Red Bull circuit in Austria. As the person drove, loud rock, classical, pop and hip-hop music was played. The trials included different driving scenarios with control at high spe