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Kirk Steudle, longtime Director of the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) and a globally recognized authority on the development of connected and automated vehicles has been nominated to receive IRF's most distinguished individual honour. According to IRF Chairman Eng. Abdullah A. Al-Mogbel "This accolade crowns an exceptional career and a highly respected voice on innovation in transportation, at a time when road sector stakeholders everywhere are embracing creative thinking in anticipation of ne

A series of major road projects in Brazil have had their budgets cut. Construction works for 56 motorway projects have seen budgets cut, and in some instances removed altogether. The Brazilian national department for transport infrastructure (Dnit) had a previous budget of US$1.59 billion for road development projects. This has now been cut to $1.04 billion, less than 33% of the budget for 2014. Projects to have been hit include widening the BR-316 in Piau State, widening the BR-364 in Rondonia State, build

Bentley Systems continues to expand its operations through acquisitions. The firm is now further developing its portfolio with the acquisition of Keynetix, a UK-headquartered provider of cloud-based software for capturing, visualising, modelling, and sharing of geotechnical data. The company says that the addition of Keynetix software expands its geotechnical offerings and allows it to develop subsurface digital twins for infrastructure projects and assets. According to the company, subsurface digital twi

A series of major road projects in Brazil have had their budgets cut. Construction works for 56 motorway projects have seen budgets cut, and in some instances removed altogether. The Brazilian national department for transport infrastructure (Dnit) had a previous budget of US$1.59 billion for road development projects. This has now been cut to $1.04 billion, less than 33% of the budget for 2014. Projects to have been hit include widening the BR-316 in Piau State, widening the BR-364 in Rondonia State, build

Indonesia has further plans to expand its toll road network. By 2024 1,500km of toll road projects will be complete. And by 2030, around 4,480km of toll roads will be complete. This programme of works will require US$44.33 billion to complete. Funding will be provided from a combination of government and private sources. The work will be carried out across Indonesia, including Nusa Tenggara, Java, Bali, Sumatra, Sulawesi and Kalimantan.

A US$136 million road contract will be carried out in the UAE.

New road projects are planned for Panama. Contracts have been awarded by the Ministry of Public Works (MOP) worth some US$194.4 million. The work will be carried out in Los Santos, Herrera, Panama Oeste, Ngabe Bugle and Panama Este provinces. The Jose Agustin Arango-CPA-24 de Diciembre project is one of the larger of these and is costing $71 million, with the work being carried out by Puentes y Calzadas Infraestructuras. The Asociacion Accidental Tanara consortium, which comprises CUSA and Constructora de

China’s Guizhou Province is developing its transport infrastructure with a major programme of works being scheduled. Construction for six new highways is commencing during 2019, with the work being planned and managed by the Guizhou Provincial Transportation Department. These six highway sections will all feature at least two lanes in either direction, five of which will be for traffic speeds up to 80km/h. The 162km Nayong to Qinglong highway however will be for speeds up to 100km/h, is costing over US$5.

Financing in the shape of loans will help fund six PPP road projects in Argentina. Loans worth US$200 million and are being supplied by IDB Invest, a division of the Inter-American Development Bank (IADB). In all syndicated loans worth $900 million have been amassed from a number of banks and funding institutions to help pay for the projects. However the road projects are expected to cost in the order of $6 billion in all.

Acrow Bridge is expanding its operations with the acquisition of Mabey Bridge for an undisclosed sum. With this move, Acrow Bridge is further developing its share of the international market. Based in the US, Acrow Bridge already has a strong presence in the market worldwide, but by acquiring the UK company Mabey Bridge, this will significantly develop global reach. This development follows several months of negotiations between the two companies. “Mabey is a business that we have long thought would be an

The National Center for Asphalt Technology (NCAT) at Auburn University has started its seventh cycle of tests on its 2.7km (1.7mile) Test Track.

New tests for cracking and rutting are easy to perform, use existing equipment and work well on mixes with different binders and recycled content - Kristina Smith writes Researchers at the Texas A&M Transportation Institute (TTI) have developed new tests for cracking and rutting, designed to be quick and easy to carry out, using existing laboratory equipment. The most advanced of these is the IDEAL Cracking Test (IDEAL-CT), which could be appearing in specifications in some of the US states in around six

New developments in compaction equipment are being introduced to the market - Mike Woof writes Ammann has broadened its asphalt compactor range with the addition of the ARX 91 model New compaction machines are offering improved performance for road builders, with equipment being introduced to meet the specific needs of key markets. Ammann has broadened its asphalt compactor range with the addition of the ARX 91 articulated tandem roller for emergent markets. The firm claims that the machine is able

The number of drivers feeling safe travelling along two of Guernsey’s key roads has more than doubled following the installation of solar powered road studs. In response to driver concerns about navigating unlit, narrow coastal roads after dark, Clearview Intelligence’s SolarLite Active Road Studs were installed along the La Neuve Rue at Albecq and Route de la Lague/ Route de Rocquaine at Fort Grey. Traditional retro reflective studs are reliant upon a vehicle headlight beam to be seen up to 90m away.

A series of major road transport projects are moving ahead in Colombia, with the country’s national infrastructure agency (ANI), handling most of the deals. In the country’s capital, Bogota, design work is now complete on the Calle 13 and Accesos Norte II road projects. The Calle 13 project will see an 11.5km section of route widened so that it features three lanes in either direction. The work will also include building new facilities for pedestrians and cyclists. This project is expected to cost US$1.15 b

Mexico City’s chronic traffic congestion could well be reduced by planned road repair works. Traffic is routinely clogged in the city, with potholes being one of many issues facing drivers. However the city authorities are providing a budget of US$351.2 million to tackle some of the worst road defects on key routes. The plan involves improving 55% of Mexico City’s primary road links by 2021. In 2019 alone, some 692km of roads will be improved.

A sustainably good road surface often depends on how well understood is the ground underneath the road’s route. Brian Jones* offers some best practice and advice for getting the most from ground-penetrating radar investigations Ground-penetrating radar (GPR) is one of the most accurate non-destructive testing (NDT) methods available. To get the most from GPR surveying, it is absolutely essential to understand how GPR tools work and follow best practices when conducting surveys. Key areas to be aware o

International interest is strong in Vietnam’s landmark North-South Expressway project. French, Japanese and South Korean firms are amongst those showing an interest in building sections of the 2,100km route. Vietnamese contractors are also showing interest in the project and the tender process for the latest stretches will remain open until 9th July.

Discussions are being held with regard to funding for the Sarajevo to Belgrade highway link. The project is likely to cost around €3 billion to construct. The two cities lie around 194km apart but the current road route measures some 308km and takes close to six hours to drive. Building the new highway will reduce the distance and cut journey times considerably, as well as boosting safety and capacity.

UK contractor Tarmac will complete a resurfacing lap of the Silverstone Formula One track in time for the British Grand Prix in July. A highly durable asphalt solution will be laid over 20 days in June and which has been specifically designed to withstand the high demands and stresses of vehicles competing in professional racing series. The track, in Northamptonshire, England, will also hold the motorcycle GoPro British MotoGP Grand Prix in August. The work will be carried out under the guidance of in