Feb 2016 lead

Singapore to implement new electronic road pricing system from 2020

A consortium of NCS and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) Engine System Asia was awarded a S$556m ($395.29m) tender by the Land Transport Authority (LTA) to develop an Electronic Road Pricing (ERP) system in Singapore.

Based on global navigation satellite system (GNSS) technology, the development of the next-generation ERP will facilitate better management of traffic congestion through a distance-based road pricing system.

The satellite-based road pricing system will charge drivers only on the basis of the distance covered by them on a congested road.

India plans to build 50,000km of roads with $250bn investment

National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) announced its plan to construct a 50,000km road network over a period of up to six years with a $250bn investment.

Work already started to create a detailed report on road projects covering 7,000km.

Chandra was quoted by The Telegraph as saying: "I am confident that the NHAI alone will be able to take up 25,000km of road projects in the next five years through its various programmes such as Bharat Mala, National Highways Development Project, Seth Bharatam Pariyojana and District Connectivity.

Analysis reveals more than 58,500 bridges in US need repair

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An analysis by the American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA) and the US Department of Transportation (USDOT)’s 2015 National Bridge Inventory database revealed that more than 58,500 bridges are structurally deficient in the country.

The report also revealed that given the current pace of bridge investment, it would take at least two decades before they were all replaced or upgraded.

Every year, ARTBA carries out an analysis of bridge data collected in the USDOT’s National Bridge Inventory database.

Transport for London grants funds to four road schemes

The UK’s Transport for London (TfL) granted funds to four schemes as part of its £4bn Road Modernisation Plan to optimise the city’s limited road space and reduce congestion.

The grants were awarded as a part of TfL’s Future Streets Incubator Fund.

With the award of the grants, TfL will now collaborate with the successful bidders on the four schemes.

New £110m highway opens in South Devon, UK

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A new £110m bypass connecting Torbay and Newton Abbot in South Devon, UK, was officially opened.

Built to carry approximately 35,000 vehicles every day, the 3.5-mile highway is expected to boost the tourism industry of the region.

Roads minister Andrew Jones said: "The road will help create new jobs and give a welcome economic boost to the region, but most importantly end the unpredictable travel times for drivers."

Vinci secures a €500m contract to construct bypass in France

Construction company Vinci signed a 54-year concession contract worth €500m, to build the 24km western Strasbourg bypass in France.

According to the deal, Vinci will also finance, design, maintain and operate the project.

The deal was signed between Vinci and France’s Ministry for Ecology, Sustainable Development, Transport and Housing.

Minnesota Traffic Observatory researchers set up test bed for trialling connected vehicle technologies

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Researchers from the Minnesota Traffic Observatory (MTO) in the US have been working on setting up a testbed on Interstate-94 (I-94) to trial connected vehicle technologies.

Funded by the Roadway Safety Institute, the project will also test speed harmonisation and provide collision warnings.

MTO director John Hourdos said: "A lot of people in the federal government and academia are creating new connected vehicle technologies.

US records rise in traffic deaths in 2015

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a part of the US Department of Transportation (US DOT), reported that there has been 9.3% rise in traffic deaths for the first three quarters of 2015.

According to the agency, 94% of the deaths occur due to human behaviour.

Based on its research, NHTSA estimates that more than 26,000 people lost their lives in road accidents during the first nine months last year, compared to 23,796 deaths during the same period in 2014.