Mexico invests in highway work

A healthy US$5.5 billion budget will be invested by Mexico's federal government on nationwide highway infrastructure projects during 2008. One of the key projects is for a bypass connecting Amozoc with Perote in Puebla and Veracruz states respectively, reports Business News Americas. Other projects include work in the northern part of Mexico City and the Morelia-Salamanca highway, linking Michoacán state with Guanajuato state. In 2008 southeastern Veracruz state will renovate a number of highways as well as maintaining feeder roads. One of the state's priorities is the bypass for capital Xalapa, with construction scheduled to start in late March or early April. Another project due for development is the Laguna Verde-Gutiérrez Zamora stretch of the Tuxpan-Tampico highway, which will connect Veracruz with neighboring Tamaulipas state to the north. Key tasks are the construction and modernisation of toll-free national highways, maintaining the federal network and developing the rural road network. Toll highway construction is another target and there are 11 projects under construction at different stages in their respective concession processes and all of them are scheduled for completion in 2008. Amongst those scheduled for works completion soon are the Amozoc-Perote highway, linking the states of Puebla and Veracruz; the Tepic-Villa Unión highway, connecting eastern Nayarit and Sinaloa states; and the Morelia-Salamanca highway, between the states of Michoacán and Guanajuato. Significant investments are also scheduled for the 221km Arco Norte of the Mexico City beltway, which is due for completion in December having started in January 2006. Recently awarded concessions include the Arriaga-Ocozocoautla highway in southern Chiapas state, which started in December 2007.

Congestion hits Dubai's GDP

Traffic congestion in Dubai results in annual losses of US$1.25 billion, equivalent to 3.15% of GDP. According to Dr Abdul Malek Ebrahim Abu Shaikh, head of Transportation Studies and Planning at the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), transport policy and concomitant legislation have to strike a balance between demand and supply. He points out that at 541 cars/1000 population, Dubai has higher car ownership than New York (444), London (345) and Singapore (111). Furthermore, if current purchase trends continue, Dubai will have 5.3 million registered cars by 2020. As a result, measures will have to be taken to discourage car usage and promote public transport. Under consideration are limits on the number of driving licences to be issued, an increase in vehicle registration fees and higher road tax. There is currently insufficient road capacity, which is the main cause of congestion. However the number of roads now crossing the Dubai Creek will have increased from 40 to 47 by the end of 2008, while nine new ring roads will be in place by 2020. Existing road projects are absorbing $2.178 billion of new investment.

Warp factor growth

Authorities in Shenzhen, the Chinese city abutting Hong Kong which is growing at close to warp speed, have taken the first step toward introducing a scheme to charge motorists for using downtown roads during peak hours. The move is being made in a bid to ease the metropolis's worsening traffic situation. According to the Shenzhen transportation bureau, the number of cars on the city's roads has been increasing by an average of 15%/year, with the total reaching one million in March. Officials reaffirmed the effectiveness of a road-pricing scheme after studying a similar system in Singapore and consulting with experts from the city-state last month. "We have just completed the first step. There is no timetable for the launch of the system and we will solicit feedback from local residents," an official surnamed Che at the government body responsible for handling traffic-related issues told a recent issue of China Daily. In an unusual move official media quoted a survey by the news website www.people.com.cn that found half of the 84,490 people polled supported the scheme, with 44% of respondents against it on grounds of cost.