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May 10, 2012

Seminars aim to improve Ontario hot mix asphalt

As the Ministry of Transportation of Ontario (MTO) has downloaded responsibilities for various roads onto municipalities, they the Ontario Hot Mix Producers Association (OHMPA) has become involved in the seminars for the past three years, aimed at improving the quality of hot mix asphalt.

May 3, 2012

Sealing the world’s longest immersed tunnel in China

In 2009, construction began on a project to link Hong Kong with Macau and the mainland Chinese city of Zhuhai. The link will be one of the region’s most technically complex engineering projects ever.

May 3, 2012

Montreal consortium selected for EA of new bridge over St. Lawrence

The Dessau|Cima+ consortium of Montreal has been selected to conduct the federal environmental assessment for the new bridge over the St. Lawrence River.

May 1, 2012

Detroit pier demolition begins after court rules

Work got underway almost immediately after a Michigan Court of Appeals ruling upheld the right of the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) to complete the so-called $230 million Gateway Project for vehicles entering and exiting the United States at the Ambassador Bridge connecting Windsor and Detroit. Crews from Detroit-based Dan’s Excavating were on site the next day for 24 hours.

April 30, 2012

Wellington County bridges study to compare delivery methods

In Wellington County, which is east and north of Kitchener, Ontario, a study will compare traditional versus alternative construction delivery methods to determine how best to minimize long-term bridge renewal costs.

April 27, 2012

Nova Scotia highway plan earmarks $363 million for roads

In 2012-13, $363 million will be invested in Nova Scotia roads, announced Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal Minister Bill Estabrooks as he released the province’s Five-Year Highway Improvement Plan, 2012-13 edition.

April 3, 2012

Federal government issues RFP for new bridge over St. Lawrence River

A request for proposals (RFP) has been issued to retain expert financial, technical and engineering services for the construction of the new bridge over the St. Lawrence River.

March 28, 2012

Cintra, SNC-Lavalin selected for Highway 407 East construction by Infrastructure Ontario

Infrastructure Ontario and the Ministry of Transportation said 407 East Development Group, which includes Spanish firm Cintra Infraestructuras SA and SNC-Lavalin, was named as the “preferred proponent” for the Highway 407 East design-build-finance maintain project. It will extend the toll highway from Pickering to Oshawa, east of Toronto.

March 1, 2012

Beamsville, Ontario carpool lot a test in asphalt innovation

A carpool lot off the Queen Elizabeth Way (QEW) in Beamsville received the Environmental Commissioner of Ontario’s (ECO) 2011 Recognition Award for the design and promotion of bioretention cells and a rubber modified asphalt test area. St. Catharines-based Rankin Construction was the general contractor which installed the cells and did the paving as part of its overall contract.

February 28, 2012

407 International reports earnings increase from Ontario toll highway

407 International Inc., which operates the Highway 407 toll highway around the periphery of Toronto, reported net income for 2011 was $128.3 million, up two-thirds from $77 million in 2010. Ownership of the firm operating the highway is shared by Spanish company Cintra Infraestructuras S.A., a wholly owned subsidiary of Ferrovial S. A.; Montreal engineering giant SNC-Lavalin Group Inc.; and subsidiaries of Canada Pension Plan Investment Board.

February 26, 2010

Edmonton to deal with ‘bumper crop’ of potholes

The City of Edmonton is busy fixing potholes and expects to do more repairs in 2011 than in other years.

February 26, 2010

Major upgrade planned for downtown artery in Kitchener

The Regional Municipality of Waterloo is finalizing plans to widen and upgrade one of Kitchener’s major downtown arteries, Weber Street.

February 26, 2010

Queen Elizabeth Way widening a large, complex project

Not only is it the most expensive and largest conventionally tendered project by the Ontario Ministry of Transportation (MTO), the $153-million widening of the Queen Elizabeth Way in St. Catharines, Ont. may also be one of its most challenging.

February 26, 2010

MTO likes seven-year pavement warranty program

The Ministry of Transportation Ontario says its seven-year pavement warranty program — the only program of its kind in North America — will provide an ongoing model for future paving contracts.

February 26, 2010

Challenging repairs on seven kilometre stretch of Forks of the Credit Road in Caledon, Ontario

The challenges of reconstructing and stabilizing the Forks of the Credit Road in Caledon are almost as awe-inspiring as the scenery.

February 26, 2010

Environment Canada mandates cleaner diesel engines for non-road construction vehicles

An interim order issued by Environment Canada in December 2010 permits the import of non-road vehicles outfitted with cleaner Interim Tier 4 (IT4) diesel engines.

February 26, 2010

EZ Street Canada develops asphalt mix for use in extreme cold

Hot mix is often the asphalt of choice for paving projects, but EZ Street Canada is aiming to take a bite out of the market with a cold asphalt paving mix that can be applied without heating at temperatures ranging from minus 18C to 38C.

February 26, 2010

Highway 69 expansion hits an environmental roadblock

The Supreme Court of Canada’s ruling on a British Columbia mine has roadblocked the widening of Ontario’s Highway 69.

February 26, 2010

Detroit’s Bagley Street pedestrian bridge uses unique cable-stayed design

Detroit’s signature Bagley Street pedestrian bridge for years was an under-the-radar project that, when completed, took local residents and motorists by surprise.

February 26, 2010

University labs look at pulling solar heat from asphalt roads

A team of scientists from three universities — University of Rhode Island, Brown University in Providence Rhode Island and the University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth — have a short list of four ideas ranging from simple to complex to harvest solar power from asphalt.

February 26, 2010

Truck-mounted laser finds, maps and assesses road condition

A new tool to help engineers make decisions about resurfacing or replacing roads is coming to Ontario this summer.

February 26, 2010

Oshawa mayor fights to speed up highway 407 eastward extension

A campaign to extend Highway 407 from Brock Road in Pickering to Highways 35/115 in one continuous phase continues to snowball, says Oshawa Mayor John Henry.

February 26, 2010

Bridge work kicks off Windsor-Essex Parkway

Initial construction of the Windsor-Essex Parkway has been completed, with Windsor’s Facca Construction Inc. wrapping up bridge and noise barrier work on the $15.5-million contract in January.

February 26, 2010

First overhead animal crossing planned for Highway 69 widening

A wildlife bridge set for Highway 69 will save both humans and animals and is the first of its kind in Ontario.