The Ministère des Transports du Québec in Canada has issued a request for qualifications for the design, construction, financing, operation and maintenance in public-private partnership of a portion of Autoroute 25 in the Montréal metropolitan area. The scheme includes a 7.2km highway and a 1.2km six-lane bridge. Three candidates will be selected following the request for qualifications and invited to respond to a request for proposals. Details from www.seao.ca (opens in new window)

A consortium made up of Ascon, NTR, Royal BAM and ACS Group is to build a landmark 475m cable stayed bridge over the River Suir for Ireland’s National Roads Authority. The contract also includes a 23km dual carriageway bypass of Waterford as well as other roads and a 2km rail realignment. Work is due to start on site in April.

Michael Baker Jr has been appointed by the Ohio Department of Transportation to carry out a bridge type study for the Central Viaduct Bridge in Cleveland. Dr Christian Menn will serve as a design consultant with Baker. An initial field of six applicants was narrowed to three before the choice was made. ODOT said that Baker was selected because of the team’s experience with long-span bridges, combined with a strong local presence and a proven record of working with the community in the development of transportation projects. “The Baker design team is comprised of a collection of talented individuals and the addition of Dr Menn will ensure the City of Cleveland receives a signature structure comparable to Dr Menn’s award-winning Leonard Zakim Bunker Hill Bridge in Boston,” said director Gordon Proctor.

The Building Bridges Initiative is inviting applications for funding for pedestrian bridges to prevent accidents. BBI is operated by Concept Outdoor, a subsidiary of Pacific Investments. The aim is to provide funding for pedestrian bridges at key blackspot locations, initially in the UK and ultimately on an international basis. Likely candidates for consideration include developments in densely populated areas with high traffic volumes. Funding is currently available for four projects which must be concluded in principle - with planning consent in place and so on - before June 2006. Details from consultant Jeremy Clark, (link opens in new window); tel: +44 (0) 7814 657808.

Alaska governor Frank Murkowski has set aside US$94 million for the Knik Arm Crossing and US$91 million for the Gravina Island access project from the state's capital budget for the next fiscal year. The US Congress had recently dropped its funding allocations for the bridges. “Our state rules limit how federal funds can be allocated toward projects in any one year," said Murkowski. "These projects will move more slowly as a result of Congressional action, but I will move them along as fast as I can.”

Engineers have saved three motorway bridges from demolition by using computer-controlled jacking to raise them, providing increased clearance for traffic below. The three bridges carry the M60 motorway over other roads, one of which is to be designated as a 'high load' route. The bridges therefore have to provide 1.2m greater clearance than the norm and one had to be raised 1.62m. Traffic was diverted to alternative, newly-built bridges allowing the three existing bridges to be raised, rotated and stitched together with reinforced concrete. Realigning the bridges saved US$3.5 million and reduced congestion during the US$180 million project to widen the M60 motorway around Manchester.

In recent years in St Petersburg, a lot of work has been going on to repair,

The Greater Vancouver Transportation Authority, Translink, has named Bilfinger Berger's consortium as the preferred bidder for a new US$693 million crossing of the Fraser River. The Golden Crossing Group will design, build, finance, operate and maintain the 1,000m-long Golden Ears Bridge. The four tower cable-stayed design allows for there to be one less pier in the river than originally envisaged, lessening the bridge's impact. Construction is expected to start in spring 2006, with opening due in June 2009.

Department of Public Works & Highways secretary Jun Ebdane has ordered greater use of salvaged steel bridge trusses for the construction of smaller crossings. “Development could be achieved in the countryside despite meager resources in our national coffers,” Ebdane said. “Instead of selling these steel components from old bridges as junk, we can still use them to construct smaller bridges." The concept was first tested 10 years ago when a 400m-long bridge was buillt using steel from the old Carmen Bridge, saving US$1.6 million.

Construction began on Friday of the first of three bridges designed by Santiago Calatrava for the city of Dallas. The US$93 million Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge - formerly known as the Woodall Rodgers Bridge - will have a 365m-long cable-stayed main span supported from a transverse arch standing as tall as a 40-storey building. The bridges are part of the Trinity River Corridor project which also includes aspects such as enhanced flood protection and recreational amenities for the city.

Australia’s US$36.7 million Sea Cliff Bridge will open this weekend, bypassing a section of the old road from Sydney which was prone to rock falls as big as 3,000t. The route from Sydney is popular with tourists visiting coastal villages on the edge of the Royal National Park to the North of Wollongong. The bridge has been built using the balanced cantilever method. It is 665m long and 41m above sea level at its highest point, giving spectacular views.

UK drivers who collide with bridges face six penalty points on their licences under changes to the Road Safety Bill which are in the final stages of debate in the House of Lords. There have been calls for fines for “bridge bashing” for many years and the new amendments would introduce fines of up to US$8,670. Liberal Democrat transport spokesman Lord Bradshaw proposed the measures following publication of the government’s most “bashed bridges” table. Barrowby Road railway bridge in Lincolnshire has been hit more than 150 times and contributes to the US$17 million cost of delays to the rail industry, reports Network Rail.

Tendering for the 29km Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau bridge could start next year, Guangdong authorities have told visiting Hong Kong legislators. Guangdong estimates that the bridge will cost US$6.7 billion and is considering a build-operate-transfer structure for the project, with the private sector invited to finance the scheme. Should this route be taken, there are calls for the franchise to be longer than the 30 year period that is the norm in Hong Kong.

The Missouri Highways & Transportation Commission has decided on a design and build approach to procure the new Paseo Bridge and improvements to the I-29/I35 highway corridor. The commision decided that design and build would provide innovation, creativity, speed and cost efficiency. The total programme budget is US$245 million. “Design-build offers the best method for producing a noteworthy crossing and corridor improvements for our project budget,” said Missouri Department of Transportation district engineer Beth Wright. MoDOT expects to release the draft environmental impact statement on the project in early 2006 and appoint the design-build contractor in mid-2007. The project is due for completion by 31 October 2011.

A 32-member joint US-Canadian design jury has announced that the Peace Bridge will be built to Christian Menn's two tower cable-stayed design. The jury had recommended the design early last month but has now met with the local authorities and confirmed the decision. Two 173m-high needle-shaped towers will straddle the roadway, supporting a main span of 500m. The bridge is expected to cost US$110 million.

Illinois State Tollway Highway Authority has approved the construction of a 2km bridge carrying the I-355 highway. Walsh Construction beat two other companies for the US$125 million contract to build the multi-span crossing of two canals, the Des Plaines River, wetlands, railways and a refinery. Construction will start early in 2006.

India's minister of shipping, road transport and highways TR Baalu said that causeways across rivers will be replaced with bridges to improve safety during floods. This would help avoid accidents like the one that had occured in Tiruvadanai recently when a bus was washed away, killing more than 50 people. Baalu made the statement while inspecting flood damage in Tamil Nadu.

US transportation secretary Norman Mineta has allocated an addtional US$40 million to help Louisiana and Mississippi rebuild roads and bridges damaged by Hurricane Katrina. The Federal Highway Administration operates an emergency relief programme to reimburse states for certain costs to carry out repairs following natural disasters or catastrophic events.

The main span was successfully completed this week on the largest bridge on the western section of Shanghai's Huqingping Highway. The main 102m-long span takes the form of an arch, at the focus of a 1.54km-long structure over the river below. The 34m-wide bridge carries three lanes in each direction.

Michael Baker Jr is today unveiling 30 concept designs for the Downtown Bridge, part of the US$2 billion Ohio River Bridges Project in the Louisville-Southern Indiana region of the US. Public meetings will be used to gauge interest in various types of bridge including arched, cable-stayed and steel truss designs. There has been a commitment to engage the public in selection of the bridge type while satisfying the functional needs of the structure and recognising the project's fiscal limitations.

BDP has unveiled plans for a "green bridge" to help stitch back together an area of London divided by the A3 bypass. The bridge is part of a regeneration scheme in Tolworth in the south west of the city. It has been designed to give the impression of walking along a wide, paved and landscaped public area rather than crossing a dual carriageway. The bridge will feature travelators, stairs and a lift to open up access to the town centre, railway station and residential areas. The regeneration project will include a combined heat and power system, photovoltaic panels to generate electricity, solar tubes to provide hot water and rainwater recycling.

Mississippi's Department of Transportation has announced a revised tender deadline of noon on 30 December for the bids to replace the bridges over Biloxi Bay and St Louis Bay on the US 90 road. The 2.6km and 3km-long bridges were destroyed by Hurricane Katrina. Public price openings for both tenders will be held on 9 January with the awards made the following day. Notices to proceed are expected to be issued on approximately 18 January, with the two projects due for completion in July and September 2007 respectively.

An opening ceremony was held today for the southbound mainline bridge of Road T3 in Tai Wai, Hong Kong. Director of civil engineering and development John Chai said that the road will relieve traffic pressure on the existing links between Sha Tin and Kowloon. The overall project is expected to be completed in 2007.

Stretto di Messina has announced Parsons Transportation Group as the provisional winner of the tender to provide project management consulting services for the Messina bridge. Parsons Transportation won the technical-organisational section of the tender as well as offering a 20% cost reduction on the estimate by bidding US$140.7 million. Systra was runner up in the tender. The appointment will be confirmed once tender prerequisites have been verified.

China's northern port area of Ningbo is to be linked with its airport by a new road bridge featuring an unusual twin off-set pylon and fan cable arrangement.

Hyder Consulting and LD Asia Architects have been appointed to prepare the concept and preliminary design following the acceptance of their scheme design study. They will continue to support and advise HPDI, one of China’s largest highway design institutes, in the detailed design and construction phases. Construction will start in early 2006, with completion in 2008.

Portland Cement Association is seeking nominations for its 10th biennial bridge awards. The competition recognises excellence in design and construction of concrete bridges. All types of bridges in which the basic structural system is concrete are eligible, including newly constructed, reconstructed or widened structures. The winning projects will be announced at the American Concrete Institute's convention in November 2006.

Material Technologies (Matech) has announced that its patented Electrochemical Fatigue Sensor crack detection system is now available for commercial application. EFS uses active sensors, electrochemical/mechanical interaction and a crack detection algorithm to find growing cracks in steel.

Matech president Robert Bernstein said that EFS is designed to improve the accuracy and reliability of bridge inspections, helping owners determine whether a structure needs immediate rehabilitation and replacement.

The company said that laboratory tests demonstrate that the EFS technique is capable of detecting growing cracks as small as 10 microns that could lead to fatigue failures. On actual bridges under typical bridge loads, fatigue cracks of 15 microns are detectable. Early studies with state transportation departments indicate that the cost of EFS-based crack inspection is approximately the same cost as traditional inspection.

Scotland's transport minister Tavish Scott has commissioned an independent assessment into initial findings showing some corroded cables on the Forth Road Bridge. The initial assessment had been carried out by the Forth Estuary Transport Authority (FETA). "It is now clear there is indeed some corrosion and further work will now continue into the extent and possible remedial action," said Scott. "I have asked for an independent assessment of FETA's emerging findings and a full engineering technical study into the condition of the bridge cables." He stressed that the bridge was safe and able to carry traffic.

Precast concrete beams are being installed at a bridge in East London which stands "an Olympic champion’s stone’s throw" from the site of the main Olympic Park in Stratford.

Preliminary results of a re-evaluation study show that the New Mississippi River Bridge could be built for just over US$900 million, saving US$700 million over the original estimate. Some of the cost savings will come from building the new river bridge with a shorter centre span than originally intended and from narrowing the space between the eastbound and westbound lanes. The intention is to provide the new bridge and associated highways by 2013. URS was commissioned in July to carry out the study for the departments of transportation in Illinois and Missouri. The commission followed the realisation that it would take as long as 15 years to come up with the US$1.6 billion the project was originally estimated to cost.

Part of a major highway bridge being built in southern Spain has collapsed today killing at least seven. The 60m-long by 12m-wide section of the multi-span concrete viaduct fell onto workers in the valley some 50m below. The bridge, near Almunecar is part of a new motorway being built in phases between Almeria and Malaga.

The collapse of a bridge under construction has claimed 16 lives in China's Guizhou province. The 152m-long bridge in Zunhi failed suddenly on Saturday afternoon, dropping workers into the river below. Three survived the fall.

County and city officials in Cleveland, USA, are calling for a signature span to replace the existing I90/71 Innerbelt Bridge. Paul Alsenas of the Cuyahoga County Planning Commission presented the proposal to county commissioners, mayors and city managers.

European awareness of fibre reinforced composite pultrusion lags that of the USA according to a new study. The study by the European Pultrusion Technology Association found that awareness was almost three times higher in the USA.

New Jersey's Department of Transportation has announced the successful completion of the first project under its Hyperbuild rapid bridge construction initiative. Three replacement bridge decks were installed in three weekends on a freeway in Trenton. Hyperbuild cut the schedule by 22 months and saved US$2.25 million dollars, said NJDOT. The new bridge decks were made off site. Once the new spans were inspected and approved, they were delivered to a storage location for installation by contractor Neshaminy Construction.

A Skanska-led consortium has signed the contract to finance, construct and operate a 51km expressway in southern Finland. The project includes 76 bridges, eight interchanges and some 5km of twin tunnels. Construction will cost US$192 million and Skanska will then operate and maintain the route for 21 years.

Scotland's Forth Estuary Transport Authority has outlined new plans to ease congestion and delays on the Forth Road Bridge. FETA's first local transport strategy sets out objectives for the next 15 years. The strategy recognises the need to plan ahead for a new multi-modal crossing to address the increasing maintenance costs of the existing bridge and to cater for future growth in public transport. Initiatives outlined in the strategy include reducing traffic congestion through measures such as car-sharing, increasing the use of public transport, and providing funding to ensure delivery of a new road link.

The US states of Maryland and Virginia have agreed to spend about US$1 million each on studies aimed at reducing congestion on two bridges spanning the Potomac River. Woodrow Wilson and American Legion bridges will be the subjects of the 18 month studies which will explore options including the use of lanes reserved for public transport or high occupancy vehicles.

Commemorative activities are under way to mark the 1,400th anniversary of a bridge in China's Hebei province. The Anji Bridge over the Xiaohe River was designed by stonemason Li Chun. It remains well-preserved, despite having been subjected to nine wars and eight eight earthquakes. The bridge has a single 37m-span arch and a total length of 64.4m.

Australian Transport & Energy Corridor has announced that Barclay Mowlem is to help develop plans for the 220km Dawson Valley Railway, which will link the Surat Coal Basin with the Port of Gladstone. The next six months will be spent completing a detailed business case for project. Barclay Mowlem will concentrate on engineering plans, construction costs, environmental issues and financing arrangements.

The US Federal Highway Administration has determined that the foundations in the Skyway structure of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge meet or exceed required specifications. FHWA conducted a series of studies to evaluate the quality of the Skyway's foundation welds following allegations of defects. The welds were found to be larger and stronger than contract requirements, providing additional structural capacity. The report concluded that extensive quality control processes verified that materials and workmanship met contract standards.

The US Federal Highway Administration has published a report showcasing the experiences of three states in using its bridge asset management sofware, Pontis. State transportation agencies in California, Florida and South Dakoka have been making extensive use of FHWA's Pontis bridge management tool and their findings have been drawn together into the study. Most of the other states with Pontis licences use it only for collecting bridge inventory and inspection data, said director of FHWA's office of asset management David Geiger. He encouraged other states to move to the next level in using the software capabilities to the full extent.

The final pylon section has been placed this week at the US$220 million Maumee River Crossing. The 122m-high pylon will be the second tallest structure in Toledo, Ohio and will be visible from far afield thanks to an innovative lighting system. The top 56m of the pylon will contain glass curtain walls that will be internally illuminated by 350 light emitting diodes. These can make the pylon any colour or combination of colours.

The European Commission has approved six of the 14 potential tenderers for the planned new bridge over the Danube linking Vidin in Bulgaria and Kalafat in Romania. The shortlisted teams are FCC of Spain, Bilfinger Berger of Germany, France's Bouygues, NV Besix of Belgium, Italy's Rizzani De Eccher and the Bulgarian company Transtroy Varna. The construction contract is due to be signed by the end of next year.

Construction of a fibre-reinforced polymer (FRP) road bridge is to start next week, crossing the M6 motorway in north west England. This will be the first time that FRP has been adopted on a Highways Agency road bridge. The existing bridge would have needed extensive repairs and did not meet current standards. The new two-span structure will have FRP deck units with steel beams. Work is expected to be complete in March 2006.

Bulgaria has given the green light to loan contracts that will enable construction of the second Danube Bridge. Most of the US$106 million loan comes from the European Investment Bank, with the remainder provided by Germany's KfW. KfW and Agence France de Development are also contributing grants totalling US$9 million. The bridge will link Vidin in northwest Bulgaria and Kalafat in Romania. It is due to be completed by the end of 2008.

Impregilo's consortium is to build the Messina Bridge, the world's longest single span suspension bridge. Client Stretto di Messina announced today that the 3.3km-span structure will be built by a consortium made up of Impregilo, together with Sacyr, Società Italiana Per Condotte D’Acqua, Cooperativa Muratori & Cementisti-C.M.C, Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries and ACI Scpa Consorzio Stabile. Impregilo's team beat a consortium headed by Astaldi.

The European Commission has adopted new standard forms for the announcement of large public contracts to make it easier to advertise online. "This is an example of better regulation which will make it easier for companies to find out about the thousands of public contract opportunities across the EU," said internal market and services commissioner Charlie McCreevy. "Public authorities also benefit not just from greater competition but also from a shorter streamlined procedure with one single set of online notice forms which can save them valuable time in the procurement process." The move is part of a wider EU strategy on computerising public procurement procedures.

Russia's prime minister Mikhail Fradkov today opened a new bridge within the Arctic Circle across Kola Bay in the Barents Sea. Opening of the 2.5km crossing marks the end of a lengthy detour for people travelling to the northern Murmansk region. The bridge is expected to boost the region's economy and enhance trade with Finland.

The winning contractor for the record-breaking Messina Bridge will be announced on Wednesday 12 October. The project's awarding committee will hold a public meeting at which the evaluation results, tender scorings, costings and proposed winner will be revealed. Consortia headed by Astaldi and Impregilio submitted tenders for the contract. The winner will be confirmed following verification of the tender requirements and due deliberation by concessionaire Stretto di Messina.

Delaware Department of Transportation has cancelled today's scheduled bid opening for the Indian River Inlet Bridge. It is now looking at options for a new design to replace the original cable-supported single arch.

Cambodian officials have welcomed Vietnam's efforts in expediting the feasibility study for for the construction of Long Binh Bridge connecting the An Giang province of Vietnam and the Kandal province of Cambodia. The bridge was among topics discussed as part of a joint meeting held last week by the two countries to discuss co-operation and development of the border provinces. A wide ranging joint communique set out areas of co-operative development ranging from support in the event of disasters to exchange visits.

The Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission has appointed Edwards & Kelcey as programme management consultant for a new surveillance and detection system. Under the US$1.88 million contract, Edwards & Kelcey will be responsible for the development, administration and management of the implementation of the system to enhance the safety and improve security on and around DRJTBC’s 20 bridges. The work also includes radio communications upgrades. The appointment stems from DRJTB's increased focus on its emergency management capabilities and the need to have a programme in place to address incidents caused by natural phenomena, accidental events and acts of sabotage or terrorism.

The cantilever is one of the world's earliest bridge forms originating in China, Tibet and Japan. Shogun's Bridge built in the 4th century AD still spans 26m over the Daiya-gawa River in Nikko, Japan. In the mid-nineteenth century, this structural bridge form was reintroduced and used extensively. But today, two of the world's oldest cantilevers are struggling to survive in the USA.

On a hot day in late September, it is difficult to understand why Vietnam's new Bai Chay Bridge is being specially designed to cope with storms and high winds. But the end of the season of good weather is fast approaching, and only a day later the precautions seem wise. A new technique of cable construction on this bridge is enabling the contractors to pack strands more tightly in the stay cables, producing the same strength cables within 20% less cross-sectional area. This will be a major boon in terms of reducing the wind loading on the structure.