An Indiana bill that paves the way for a public-private partnership to design, build and operate the $1.1-billion Illiana Expressway through Indiana and Illinois unanimously passed the Indiana Senate on March 2. The 25-mile expressway would provide an east-west bypass for truck traffic and commuters south of Chicago by linking I-65 in Indiana with either I-57 or I-55 in Illinois. The bill authorizes the Indiana Finance Authority to search for a private investor to finance the design and construction of the roadway, as well as operate the road as a tollway. Construction is expected to begin in 2017.
After weathering a two-day funding cutoff, federal highway and transit programs are back in operation, thanks to a stopgap bill signed on March 2. But the extension only runs until March 28 and funds the programs at a rate much lower than last year’s. Transportation officials are hoping for quick Senate approval of a further extension through December that also will bolster the shaky Highway Trust Fund and restore road funding to 2009’s level. Further, the Senate is working on a tax bill that includes provisions to benefit construction. The immediate focus for construction at ENR press time was an
The House has approved a $15-billion jobs package that includes an extension for highway and transit programs through December and a financial infusion to strengthen the Highway Trust Fund. The measure, which the House passed on March 4 by a 217-201 vote, next goes back to the Senate because it differs from the version that the Senate approved on Feb. 24. Besides extending surface-transportation programs through Dec. 31, the House-passed bill bolsters the Highway Trust Fund through an approximately $20-billion transfer from the general fund. It also would restore $8.7 billion in highway obligation authority that was rescinded on Sept.
Rio de Janeiro is pushing for high-speed-rail service in time for the 2014 Olympic Games. The Brazilian government plans to issue a concessionaire contract in May for a 510.7-kilometer-long high-speed-rail system to link the cities of Campinas, São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. Construction costs are estimated at $19.3 billion, and the term of the concession is 40 years. + Image Image: Brazilian Government Related Links: China-Hong Kong Rail Line Costs Deepen London�s Massive Rail Project Gains Favor The Trem de Alta Velocidade (TAV) line will include nine stations, 90.9 km of tunnels and 107.8 km of bridges. Public consultations
Work on the 26-km-long Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link (XRL) is well under way, with the last contract to be awarded in 2011. The Legislative Council recently approved $8.6 billion in funds for construction—a controversial increase from the original $5.1 billion. Related Links: Brazil Plans High-Speed Rail for Olympics London’s Massive Rail Project Gains Favor Already $486 million worth of civil-works contracts have been awarded, with the largest being a $216-million contract to Japanese firm Penta-Ocean Construction Co., Ltd. for construction of the Mai Po to Ngau Tam Mei tunnels at the north end of the line. The other contracts
The Michigan Dept. of Transportation will find out on March 17 how many developers, investors, lenders, design-build contractors and operators are interested in building a new $2.26-billion international bridge linking Detroit and Windsor, Ontario, Canada. That’s the final day for interested private-sector companies and teams to respond to a request for proposal of interest (RFPOI) sent out in late January. + Image Map: MDOT Proposed new crossing would provide an alternative to the Ambassador Bridge + Image Image: MDOT Contractors will be asked to choose between cable-stayed or suspension designs. MDOT will use the non-binding responses in its May 1
Kenya, east Africa’s largest economy, has begun the $960-million process of constructing and upgrading two key roads in the capital of Nairobi through public/private partnerships as part of the multinational Northern Corridor Transport Improvement Project (NCTIP). On Feb. 24, the country signed an agreement with G8 member-country Japan for partial funding of the construction of the Nairobi Western Ring Road. Japan gave Kenya an initial $420,000 grant for the project. NCTIP is a multibillion-dollar road and air-transport program that aims to link the Great Lakes countries, with an estimated combined population of 120 million, to Kenya ’s seaport of Mombasa.
Thanks to bipartisan support, London’s $24-billion government-sponsored Crossrail project seems to have a secure future even as public spending cuts loom. Having already signed up all the design teams, Transport for London’s project company, Crossrail Ltd., is now procuring the last tunneling contract. Photo: Crossrail Ltd. Wide-scale demolition at Tottenham Court Road for one of Crossrail’s largest underground hubs. Related Links: Brazil Plans High-Speed Rail for Olympics China-Hong Kong Rail Line Costs Deepen The project includes 21 kilometers of twin tunnels under central London. Crossrail Ltd. set a March 24 deadline for firms to lodge prequalification bids for a contract
The Louisville, Ky., district of the Army Corps of Engineers allowed resumption of Ohio River traffic through the 1,200-ft Markland Lock chamber on March 1 after an expedited 155-day, $6-million emergency repair operation. Corps crews worked two 12-hour shifts each day through “wretched weather conditions to get this lock back in operation,” says Col. Keith Landry, district commander. A malfunctioning control-valve solenoid is blamed for allowing excessive water flow that wrenched one of the chamber’s 450-ton leaves from its mountings and damaging its partner during a locking operation on Sept. 27. Corps employees Sean Bennett (front) and Charles Smith endured
Federal highway and transit programs are back in business, but only through March 28, thanks to enactment late on March 2 of a delayed stopgap funding measure. But state and industry officials noted that the respite is brief. They are hoping that Congress soon will pass a further highway-transit extension, through Dec. 31. The newly enacted stopgap bill, which also extends unemployment insurance and COBRA health benefits for several weeks, gained final congressional approval with Senate passage on a strong 78-19 vote. President Obama signed the bill later on March 2. The action marks an end to a two-day shutdown
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