Mongolia
Mongolia has developed a five-year road development plan
World Highways, 17.09.2021
Mongolia is developing plans for a five-year project to ensure environmentally safe roads and transport in the capital Ulaanbaatar. The project is of great importance because the city is known for high levels of air pollution, most of which is associated with transport emissions.
Most of the project's financing will be provided through a loan of about $100 million. It is expected that the total cost of the work will be $ 115 million. This is one of the largest road projects for Mongolia at the moment.
Reducing congestion and improving traffic flow is the main goal of the project.
https://www.worldhighways.com/wh8/news/mongolias-five-year-road-plan
USA
Introduction of Express toll lanes along Interstate 64 (I-64) Traffic Technology Today, 09/14/2021
The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) has contracted with Conduent Transportation to design, implement and operate express toll lanes along Interstate 64 (I-64) in the Hampton Roads area of the state.
The $51 million contract, which includes a three-year base term plus a total of nine one-year options, stipulates that Conduent will operate and maintain several toll zones in the I-64 expressway network. It is expected that the construction of the lanes and the system will be completed by the end of 2022.
Mark Brewer, president of the Conduent Transportation Solutions Group, said:
The Conduent technology will provide flexible, dynamic pricing and reviews of license plate images, as well as the ability to implement vehicle occupancy detection — all to improve traffic flow and reduce congestion.
The implementation period will take 16 months, including the design, testing and installation of the system. VDOT will also use data analytics to determine fare rates based on the volume of traffic at different times of the day.
The US Department of Transportation allocates funds for a project to improve the I-405 highway in Orange County
Traffic Technology Today, 15.09.2021
The Bureau of Build America of the US Department of Transportation (US DOT) has allocated 628.93 million US dollars in funding to the Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) for a project to improve the I-405 highway.
The project, which is being built on a 16-mile corridor in northwest Orange County on Interstate 405 between State Route 73 and Interstate 605, calls for the addition of one new general-purpose lane and one new toll lane in each direction.
The new paid express lanes will be combined with the existing lane for vehicles with high traffic to create two express lanes in each direction. The project also includes improvements to entrances, exits from highways and bridges.
The financing was provided in the form of a direct loan under the Transport Infrastructure Financing and Innovation Act (TIFIA). The loan funds will cover part of the construction costs.
Build America Bureau is an organization of the US Department of Transportation that helps project sponsors develop, finance and implement transport infrastructure projects.
Overall, the I-405 project aims to improve operations on one of the busiest highways in the country and is expected to create about 26,000 jobs. It will also provide more reliable and timely access to employment centers, schools and basic services for residents of this region.
Its design also includes elements of resistance to climate change, especially against the risks of floods and earthquakes, as well as elements convenient for pedestrians and cyclists.
Scotland
Repair of the historic Leith Bridge is planned
World Highways, 16.09.2021
The historic Category A bridge, located in Leith, Scotland, is in need of repair. Built between 1871 and 1874 in the Port of Leith to connect the two sides of the site, the 36.6 m long bridge is a rare surviving example of a 19th-century swing bridge with a counterweight, one of the very few in Scotland.
Initially, railway traffic was carried out on the bridge, but then cars crossed over it, as trends in transport changed. Cars now use a more modern bridge, opened in the mid-1990s. The historic building is still used by pedestrians and bicycle traffic, which has increased significantly since the port area became the location for many luxury new homes. However, concerns have been raised that the structure has not been maintained sufficiently in recent years, and in 2018 the bridge was added to the register of buildings under threat. Currently, there is a growing understanding of the importance of historical industrial architecture, as well as the need to preserve bright design patterns.
The bridge is made of riveted wrought iron, wood and steel, and its turning mechanism is hydraulic. The works will include repair and maintenance of metal structures, extensive maintenance and repair of northern and southern crossings, as well as a new flooring of the central roadway. This will also include replacing the terraced areas for the U-turn.
https://www.worldhighways.com/wh9/news/leith-historic-bridge-repairs-planned