Manchester Airport in northwest England has begun the second phase of its $1.6-billion program with construction of a new 12-gate pier for Terminal 2 by London-based lead contractor Mace Group Ltd. Set for completion in 2025, the new pier will accommodate a variety of aircraft types. Other elements include a second security hall, expanded departure lounge and airfield reconfigurations. Mace will apply a variety of construction techniques to reduce embodied carbon emissions by up to 40%, such as precast concrete, prefabricated building components and an innovative piling design that minimizes excavation, according to the airport. New facilities will include nearly 30 shops, bars and restaurants.

Australia

Road-building Down Under

Transport for New South Wales has tapped Vinci subsidiary Seymour White to build the 3.1-mile northern section of the M1 Pacific Motorway Extension, part of a corridor program to improve transport between Sydney and Brisbane. In a separate project for the agency, the contractor will upgrade a 4-mile section of Mulgoa Road, a key arterial in western Sydney. Total value of the two projects is $260 million.

Philippines

Keeping Manila Moving

The Leighton-First Balfour Joint Venture has been tapped to construct a 5-mile section of the South Commuter Railway Project, the southern leg of a planned 91-mile rail network being created to ease road congestion around Manila. The new $194-million project includes at-grade and viaduct railway track structures, three stations and associated mechanical and electrical systems. The joint venture is already at work on an adjacent $283-million, 3.8-mile segment, the majority of which will be located underground.

Saudi Arabia

New Rail Line Speeds to Sustainable Future

A 35.4-mile high-speed rail line to be designed and built by a joint venture of Webuild and Shibh Al Jazira Contracting Company will serve Neom, a new sustainability-focused urban area being developed along the country’s north Red Sea coast. The $1.5-billion project includes two high-speed tracks capable of facilitating train speeds of more than 140 mph, as well as a pair of freight rail tracks, viaducts and underpasses.

Spain

Natural Setting for a Freight-Passenger Rail Bridge

Ferrovial is set to build a $64-million rail bridge across the Ebro River in Spain’s Navarra autonomous region. The nearly 2,300-ft long, 46-ft-wide structure will be part of the future Cantabria-Mediterranean corridor, which will connect the country’s northern and Mediterranean coasts. A key challenge for the 3.5-year project will be integrating into the agricultural area’s high-value ecosystem environment.

Norway

Scandinavian P3 Aims to Upgrade Highway in $1B Venture

Photo courtesy of Skanska

Construction is underway on the E10/rv. 85 road project, a $1-billion public-private partnership involving the Norwegian Public Roads Administration and Skanska AB, which will design and construct a total of 51 miles of new and upgraded highway. The project includes seven new tunnels totaling nearly 17 miles, more than 20 bridges, pedestrian and cycling routes, rest areas and improved junctions and private road connections. Under a separate contract, Skanska will operate and maintain the completed highway for 15 years.