Image Courtesy of Louis Berger Concrete cable-stayed bridge across the canal's access channels will boast the world's longest span of 530 m when it opens in 2016. Related Links: $5.25-Billion Panama Canal Expansion Program Moves Into the Final Leg While post-Panamax ships boost the global economy by moving goods through the Panama Canal's third set of locks, a striking new cable-stayed bridge will support local business by transporting materials overland. The 1,050-meter-long third crossing over the canal has a 530-m-long main span that, when completed in 2016, will be the longest in the world for a four-lane concrete cable-stayed structure.
Indian Railways The high-speed-rail current plan involves linking two major cities, Mumbai and Ahmedabad, in western India. Related Links: Kuala Lumpur-Singapore High-Speed Link Plan Draws Global Interest Collapse of China Track Section Highlights Flaws in High-Speed-Rail Program Japanese rail companies, once considered high-speed-rail pioneers, have allowed Chinese rivals to overtake them to win more major contracts in recent years. Suddenly, though, Japan is aiming to gain back lost market share by competing against China on a new, unexpected battlefield: India.This September in Tokyo, for instance, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe shook hands with his Indian counterpart, Narendra Modi, on a
Israel Ports Development and Assets Co. Chinese contender was the low bidder on a planned Haifa private port but could not win the job because it is building another big port in Ashdod. Related Links: Europeans Avoid Big Israel Port Bids Amid Palestinian Boycott Threats Haifa Port workers call wildcat strike An all-Israeli consortium has beaten out an Israel-Belgium team to build a new private port in the northern city of Haifa.Shafir Civil and Marine Engineering Ltd. and Ashtrom Properties Ltd. won the Israel Ports Development and Assets Co. contract for the new port, beating out Israel’s Shikun U’Binui Holdings
Photo courtesy of Bouygues Construction Ivory Coast's new bridge will be Africa's first lagoon crossing. Rendering courtesy of JICA Tanzania's first cable-stayed bridge is facing a six-month delay due to unexpected soil conditions. Related Links: European, U.S. Firms Still Dominate Africa Infrastructure Market Africa Poised for LNG Boom Bridge-building is booming in Africa. Key projects are being unveiled or are under construction to give the region vibrant, efficient and economic transport corridors and boost the incomplete integration of their associated economies.Botswana and Zambia are hoping to commence construction of the delayed $259-million Kazungula Bridge over the Zambezi River, a critical
Related Links: State DOTs Taking Controversial Guardrail Model Off Approved List FHWA Releases Trinity ET-Plus Guardrail End Terminal Re-testing Plan Vowing that the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) will “leave no stone unturned in getting to the bottom of this issue,” agency acting administrator Gregory Nadeau told reporters Nov. 12 that re-testing of the ET-Plus 4-in.-wide guardrail end device manufactured by Trinity Products will commence the week of Nov. 17 at the Southwest Research Institute in San Antonio, Texas.The FHWA will determine by early 2015 whether the 4-in. version will “pass” or “fail.” If the latter, it will no longer be
More than 2,000 years of planning for a fixed link between Italy and the island of Sicily came tantalizingly close to fruition in 2006 when a construction contract was signed.
Related Links: Gridlock Sam Calls for a New Transportation Formula Sam Schwartz Engineering Acquires Metro Transportation Group Move NY With midterm elections out of the way, a former New York City traffic commissioner is ramping up his call for a revamp of the New York City area's tolling system in order to increase infrastructure investment.SCHWARTZSam Schwartz, also known as "Gridlock Sam," says he and Move NY, a grass-roots advocacy group, are progressing to "launch season" and trying to garner political support for his congestion pricing plan. It would impose $5 driver tolls and 50¢ bike tolls on the free East
Related Links: Commercial Opportunities in Brazil for U.S. Firms Top Chinese Design Firms Eyeing a plethora of construction opportunities in Latin America, particularly in Brazil, a Chinese construction giant and an Australian investment veteran have officially teamed up with a Brazilian bank. Macquarie Capital, the corporate advisory, principal investing and capital markets arm of Macquarie Group, announced on Nov. 4 an agreement to form Macquarie Development Corp. with China Communication Construction Co. (CCCC) and Banco Modal.The new corporation will make equity investments in preconstruction infrastructure development projects in Latin America. In a press release, Mark Ramsey, head of Latin America
photo courtesy of RTD Crews demolish a new transit bridge in Denver shortly after its completion. Related Links: RTD is Colorado Owner of the Year New Concrete Bridge Bent System Crews from Denver Transit Constructors (DTC) demolished a major rail bridge in north Denver last month—just as the structure was nearing completion.The 555-ft-long Jersey Cutoff Bridge, which began construction in August 2012, was torn down due to "design deficiencies," says Kevin Flynn, spokesman for the FasTracks Eagle P3 segment of Denver's Regional Transportation District, the project owner.The Jersey Cutoff is one of 35 bridges DTC is building along the $1.3-billion