As the sun lowers over the highlands in central Ethiopia I survey the Joregeta Valley: Belie, my lead mason and a former artillery captain, barks orders to the crew with the tarp covering the last course of masonry for the night. Negussu, fresh out of high school and anxious for his college admission results, manages some fifty villagers and donkeys moving stone from the river up to the piers. Mebratu, the engineer, is nearby at the excavation for our next bridge directing the villagers with their picks and shovels. Richard, a volunteer from Silicon Valley, manages sand washing in the faint stream that will soon be a torrent when the summer rains arrive. I squat in the falling sunlight with my calculator and a fresh cup of Tella and make my next quantity list and schedule. This is construction work village style, and we are building bridges.

The Special Administrative Region of Macau includes not only the Macau mainland, but also the islands of Taipa and Coloane. Two bridges connect Macau and Taipa, one is the 1974 Macau-Taipa Bridge and the other is the more recent Friendship Bridge, which was built in 1994.

Halverson Construction has been awarded a US$44.5 million contract for the reconstruction of McKinley Bridge in Illinois, US. The existing bridge has been closed to traffic because of structural problems since October 2001. The Illinois Department of Transportation contract includes replacement of the main bridge trusses and the approaches.

Vietnam's deputy prime minister Nguyen Tan Dung has approved proposals to build a bridge connecting Ho Chi Minh City with the southern province of Dong Nai. Nhoh Trach Bridge will be built as a build-operate-transfer project to speed completion and help ease traffic jams.

The Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission has announced US$67 million in planned enhancements for the Trenton-Morrisville Route 1 Toll Bridge, including the addition of a northbound lane, lane widenings and reconstruction of the bridge deck. DRJTBC yesterday approved a US$6.76 million contract with Louis Berger Group to perform preliminary, final, and post design work on the project. The bridge is a 12-span, simply supported composite steel and concrete structure with an overall length of 404m. It was built with four lanes in 1952 but subsequently widened and now has three southbound and two northbound lanes. The recommended project plan will involve symmetrical widening by 2.4m on each side.

French bridge engineer Dr Jean Muller, who was the designer of many elegant concrete bridges in the USA and Europe, has died. Dr Muller, who was one of the leading proponents of concrete segmental construction, and whose bridges included the Brotonne Bridge, Oleron Bridge, Linn Cove Viaduct and the Sunshine Skyway, passed away on 17 March 2005.

Delaware’s Indian River Inlet Bridge project is now under way. First step was to close a lane on the approach to the existing bridge to enable installation of a retaining wall. Construction of the cable-supported single arch bridge is due to start in summer. Seven contractors have been pre-qualified for the scheme. The new bridge has been designed by Figg Bridge Engineers to cross the 305m inlet in a single span because the high velocity water flows cause scour problems at the existing bridge’s piers.

The eminent British engineer Dr William Brown, long-span bridge expert and pioneer of aerial cable-spinning and the aerodynamic box girder deck, has died. He passed away on 16 March after an illness.

Leonhardt, Andrä und Partner has announced the opening earlier this month of the 300m-long Korntal-Münchingen Valley Bridge near Stuttgart, Germany. The tubular truss steel composite bridge has spans of between 32m and 41m and forms part of a new Western bypass.

Celebrations have begun this week to mark the bicentenery of the spectacular Pontcysyllte Aqueduct in Wales. The aqueduct, near Wrexham, was drained and completely refurbished in 2003 in preparation for the celebrations. The events will culminate with a firework and re-enactment ceremony on 26 November, 200 years to the day when the aqueduct was first opened in 1805. The world-famous 307m-long iron trough aqueduct towers 38m over the Dee Valley. It was built by canal engineers Thomas Telford and William Jessop. The innovative use of an iron trough – sealed with Welsh flannel boiled in sugar and using an ox-blood mortar – allowed them to create what remains the highest navigable aqueduct in the world.

Kentucky residents had a novel demonstration of a major project’s location last week when the project’s designer arranged for tethered balloons to mark the route.

Operating procedures for Northern Ireland's Foyle Bridge should be reviewed to enable speed and vehicle restrictions during high winds, Hyder Consulting has concluded following a review into a fatal accident which happened in January. A driver was killed when his articulated heavy goods vehicle blew partly onto its side, damaged the parapet and fell from the bridge. Strengthening and maintenance work was under way but have been cleared of being a contributory factor. Wind speeds were below the 50 mph threshold which triggers consultation on the need for a road closure. These procedures and thresholds were reasonable, Hyder found, given that there is no history of accidents or of vehicles struggling to maintain control due to high winds on the bridge.

All the concrete deck segments are now in place on North America's longest cable-stayed bridge, the Cooper River Bridge in South Carolina. Onlookers applauded Friday’s completion of the 471m main span, which is flanked by distinctive diamond-shaped towers. The bridge's design and build joint venture is Palmetto Bridge Constructors, made up of Tidewater Skanska and Flatiron Constructors, with Parsons Brinckerhoff Quade & Douglas providing design services. The US$632 million bridge is due to open this summer.

Over a quarter of bridges in the US are structurally deficient or functionally obsolete according to a report published today by the American Society of Civil Engineers. It will cost US$9.4 billion a year for 20 years to eliminate all difficiencies in the country's 590,750 bridges says the 2005 Report card for America's infrastructure.. Bridges are given the same "C" (mediocre) rating as in 2004. There was however a slight decrease in those rated structurally deficient or functionally obsolete, from 28.5% to 27%. Long term underinvestment is compounded by the lack of a federal transport programme claims the ASCE. The "grade point average" for infrastructure as a whole was "D", meaning poor.

Florida Department of Transportation has awarded Jacobs Engineering Group and Granite Construction a design-build contract including two bridges. The project involves reconstructing a stretch of the US1 road, building a high-level bridge over Jewfish Creek to replace a low-level drawbridge and replacing the causeway over Lake Surprise with a low-level bridge. The low-level bridge will restore the water flow which is currently severed by the causeway. Completion is due in early 2009.

Construction is set to begin this year of two major bridges connecting China's largest group of offshore islands with the mainland. Xihoumen Bridge is a 5.3km suspension bridge costing US$300 million. The US$846 million Jintang Bridge will include an 18.5km section over the sea and approaches totalling 8.5km. The two bridges will be built under the second phase of a project to improve links with the Zhoushan Archipelago. Three bridges have already been completed.

Denmark's Storebælt West Bridge was hit by a 3,600t ship yesterday evening, killing a crew member. The collision damaged a 2.5m by 5m section of the superstructure but an inspection has since cleared the bridge as safe for reopening to traffic. Bridge owner Storebælt has said that repairs will be carried out as soon as possible. The 6.6km bridge is built of prestressed concrete with 110m spans. It joins Sprogø and Funen, forming part of the Storebælt Fixed Link together with a 6.79km suspension bridge and an 8km immersed tube rail tunnel.

Jamuna Multipurpose Bridge Authority has issued a series of advance work tenders in preparation for construction of the 6th Bangladesh-China Friendship Bridge, otherwise known as the Mukterpur Bridge. The tenders cover aspects such as access roads, site accommodation and fencing. The 1.5km prestressed concrete box girder bridge will link Dhaka and Munshigonj.

Representatives of Bahrain and Qatar have signed a memorandum of understanding agreeing to build a bridge linking the two countries. The 40km causeway would run between Askar in south east Bahrain and Ras Ashiraj in north west Qatar. Construction is expected to take less than five years.

The Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission is preparing to make a series of appointments to boost management of its US$624 million capital improvement programme in view of the growing workload. The commission has created a new management group to oversee the scheme and will be seeking an engineering firm to serve as capital programme management consultant. The commission's overall programme management consultant DMJM+Harris will carry out the new role until a permanent appointment is made in line with procurement guidelines. DRJTBC is responsible for a series of major bridges along a 224km stretch of the Delaware River and has planned a 10 year programme of upgrades.

Obayashi Corporation has placed a US$9 million structural steel order with American Bridge Manufacturing for box girders for the Hoover Dam Bypass Bridge. The bridge is under construction over the Colorado River between Nevada and Arizona in the US. The order involves fabrication of a total length of 2,314m of box girders of 3.15m width and 2m depth. Delivery will be completed in 2007.

The Forth Rail Bridge's normal white floodlights have been covered in coloured film to bathe the structure in red light, as part of the UK's annual Comic Relief charity campaign. The bridge now appears a deep cranberry red at night. Crews worked in their spare time to carry out the transformation.

Mozambique’s Public Works & Housing Ministry is set to launch an international tender in April to appoint the contractor for a new bridge over the Zambezi River. The 2.5km multi-span bridge will link the provinces of Sofala and Zambezia in the central part of the country. WSP International Sweden is lead designer.

The City of Sunderland and Sunderland Arc have announced the launch of a design competition for a major new vehicle and pedestrian crossing of the River Wear in north east England. Expressions of interest are being sought from architect or engineer-led teams to design a landmark structure to act as a gateway to the city centre. Up to six teams will be invited to develop their proposals in return for an honorarium. The competition is being organised by the Royal Institute of British Architects in association with the Institution of Civil Engineers. The deadline for expressions of interest is 7 March.

An international competition is about to start to find design ideas for restoration of a large network of railway arches in central London. Cross River Partnership and Spacia - the property arm of UK railway infrastructure operator Network Rail – hope to reduce the dissecting effect of the viaducts. CRP director Savas Sivetidis said that the viaducts are beautiful structures with a rich history dating back to the Victorian era. "Through the competition, we want to look at the part they can play in 21st century London, with ideas and designs worthy of a world-class city". The competition will be managed by the Royal Institute of British Architects and the brief will be available from next week. Entry is open to architects, engineers, landscape or urban designers.

All the funding for Danube Bridge 2 is now in place, following Friday's signing of a memorandum between Bulgaria and the European Commission. Transport minister Nikolay Vassilev said that the design and build contract is set to be signed in November, with construction starting by the end of the year. The memorandum provides for US$295 million, of which US$91 million is a grant from the EC. The bridge will link Vidin in Bulgaria and Kalafat in Romania. Prequalification took place last year.

A three-way joint venture has won the contract to design a 980m-long cable-stayed bridge over Belgrade's River Sava. The team is made up of Ponting and DDC of Ljubljana in Slovenia and Centar za puteve from Serbia-Monenegro. The bridge's tower will be 200m high. The US$117 million project is part of a 17km ring road. Construction could start in early 2006.

Wire rope manufacturer Bridon has announced a US$1.6 million deal that secures it a majority shareholding in Chinese producer Tianjin Golik. The new company will trade as Bridon Tianjin Rope. Bridon's UK plants have already supplied major Chinese projects such as the Jiangyin Yangtze Bridge and intention is that the investment in Tianjin Golik will help build market share.

London Development Agency has unveiled the design for a new footbridge that will help link the new national Wembley Stadium to the railway station and town centre. The bridge has a complex geometry with sweeping arches over the station platform and an enclosed footway. Halcrow is LDA’s lead consultant on works at both Wembley Stadium station and the nearby Wembley Central station. Halcrow commissioned Marks Barfield to advise on the design of the new footbridge.

Dubai Municipality has started construction of the US$106 million first phase of the Ras Al Khor corridor, which involves building a third bridge over Dubai Creek. The bridge will have five lanes in each direction and the option of a sixth. "The structure will be 15m above the high-water mark, allowing ship movement in the creek without the need for a lifting span," said head of roads construction Badr Al Gergawi. Work expected to be completed by early 2007.

Figg Engineering Group senior vice president Robert Wellner has died suddenly on 9 February. Bob was born in 1928 and graduated with a BS in Civil Engineering from the University of South Carolina. After serving in the US Navy and achieving the rank of Lieutenant, he worked at Bethlehem Steel until retiring in 1983. After retirement, Bob began a second career by joining Figg, where he was involved in the design of numerous high-profile bridges in the USA, including the Natchez Trace Parkway Arches, the Clark Bridge over the Mississippi, the Chesapeake & Delaware Canal Bridge, the Sagadahoc Bridge in Maine.

The contract was signed this week for Ho Chi Minh City's Phu My Bridge to be built under a build, operate and transfer contract. The project will be run by a joint venture which includes Hanoi Construction Corporation and the Construction Investment & Development Company. A foreign contractor will be appointed and construction is scheduled to start in September for completion in 2008. The focus of the 2km bridge will be a 705m cable-stayed section. Total investment will be approximately US$114 million, over half of which will come from a loan by French bank Société Générale.

Peru’s Ministry of Transport & Communication today announced the tender to carry out final studies and build the country’s longest suspension bridge, the President Guillermo Billinghurst Bridge. The steelwork for the bridge has lain in an airport warehouse for 26 years since its purchase from from Waagner Biro for US$10 million. The 722m-span bridge will cross the River Madre de Dios, connecting Puerto Maldonado and Iñapari. It will improve connections between Peru and Brazil.

Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation has issued invitations to tender for consultancy work to examine the feasibility of replacing level crossings with railway over-bridges. The contracts are intended to establish the technical, economic and financial viability of the proposal and then prepare detailed reports and bid documents for construction of the bridges on a build-operate-transfer basis. Four separate contracts are being tendered, covering the Mumbai, Nasik, Pune and Vidarbha regions.

The southern Chinese province of Hainan is studying a feasibility report on the possibility of building a bridge or tunnel across the Qiongzhou Straits. Some US$2.4 million has been allocated for preliminary research. The 22.5km-wide Qiongzhou Straits separates Hainan Island and Guangdong province and the bridge or tunnel would be 31km long. A railway across the straits opened two years ago.

Jordan's Ministry of Transport has shortlisted six teams of consultants from 26 that expressed interest in conducting a study of the country's railway develeopment and implementation strategy. The shortlisted consultants will now be invited to submit their technical and financial proposals.

External market conditions, design complexity and the time schedule caused the escalation in the price of the proposed San Francisco Oakland Bay Bridge east span, according to a new review of the project. Cost estimates for the east span escalated from US$1.29 billion in 1997 to US$5.13 billion by last year. The latest report into the cost increases was prepared by the Results Group and submitted this week to California's Business, Transportation & Housing Agency. The team concluded that three elements caused estimates to double in 2001, then nearly double again in 2004:

The Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission is seeking to attract more consultants to tender for its work. It has launched a new website area to provide information about the professional services needed for its capital improvement work. DRJTBC is carrying out a 10 year programme worth an estimated $624 million. “By publicly posting these procurements to our website, the commission hopes to attract a more diverse group of consultants and make the procurement process more open and competitive," said DRJTBC exectutive director Frank McCartney. There will be regular postings of requests for qualifications, letters of interest and other procurement information. A seminar is also planned to familarise more firms with the work and encourage greater competition.

Hardesty & Hanover has won the fiercely-constested engineering study for the Aetna Viaduct in Hartford, Connecticut. The Hardesty & Hanover team also includes VN Engineers and United International Corporation. The design assignment is two-fold, starting with the study to allow a full review of options from minor rehabilitation to full replacement. Funding constraints mean that the focus will be on rehabilitation, with a view to extending the structure's life by 10 years or more. The second part of the contract will involve design of the selected option including preparing specifications and an estimate.

Use of polymer composites in bridge engineering will be explored in detail at COBRAE's conference, to be held in Switzerland on 31 March and 1 April. Full details of the programme have been announced, including laboratory demonstrations, site visits, papers and a trip to Carbo-Link Company. The laboratory demonstrations will cover post-strengthening of large bridge girders and vibration mitigation. The visits will show the use of polymer composites at Kempt FRP Bridge and the cable-stayed Stork Bridge.

TY Lin International's initial designs for the replacement of a bridge over California’s Napa River have been put on display. Seven historic and contemporary concepts were unveiled by the City of Napa, including arch and cable-stayed structures. The existing three span, 48m-long bridge is on the US national register of historic places but needs to be replaced as part of a flood protection scheme as it impedes water flows and is structurally deficient. Construction is due to begin next year.

A bridge designed over 500 years ago by Leonardo da Vinci is at last being built. The University of Texas of the Permian Basin has announced plans to build the 220m pressed bow structure, which was originally designed to span the Golden Horn in Istanbul, Turkey. This is the second modern-day Leonardo bridge project - the first was built by the Norwegian Transport Ministry in 2001. Norwegian artist Vebjørn Sand is leader of the project.

A major pedestrian bridge across Dubai's busy Sheikh Zayed Road is set to be completed this month. The US$1.8 million structure is the first cable-stayed bridge in the United Arab Emirates. The bridge has a 52m-high central pylon, 16 wire ropes and a slender deck with free spans of more than 65m, allowing it to cross 10 lanes and slip roads as well as an underpass. Its girder is of composite design with steel main girders and a hollow concrete deck to provide the necessary torsional and transverse stiffness. Dubai Municipality's roads department is building this and four other bridges under a design and build contract. Head of roads construction Badr Al Gergawi said that a more conventional design would have required a massive bridge girder, spoiling the view of the skyline.

Carl Bro Group, together with architect Dissing+Weitling, will shortly be drawing up tender documents for a bridge across Copenhagen's Sydhavnen harbour area. Carl Bro will also be in charge of managing the construction phase. The 200m cycle and pedestrian bridge will include an opening section to ensure that sailing in the harbour can continue as before. The bridge is a crucial part of the one of the new cycle routes being created in and around the Danish capital.

An eastern spiny turtle called Granny Spiny and a vibratory hammer called Grumpy Growler are among the characters in a story published by Cianbro to tell local children about its Missisquoi Bay Bridge project. Cianbro has worked with client VTrans on A new bridge for Vermont, which starts with local residents asking for a new bridge and then charts the progress of construction. A second part of the story is due to be published once site work resumes in spring. The fixed crossing is being built to replace the original 1.3km seven-span bascule drawbridge. The bridge serves as a vital connecting link between Vermont, New York, and the Providence of Quebec.

West Virginia Department of Transportation has chosen HNTB Corporation to carry out project management and construction engineering inspection for the US$108 million Blennerhassett Bridge. The 30.5m-wide tied arch will cross the Ohio River, completing a 480km highway system. The bridge will pass over the southern end of Blennerhassett Island and the main river crossing will be 268m long. There will be more than 800m of approach spans on the West Virginia side and 150m at the Ohio end.

Chile’s Ministry of Public Works has awarded the Hochtief PPP Solutions consortium the contract for a 2.6km suspension bridge, the longest in South America. Hochtief PPP Solutions had been the only tenderer for the Puente Bicentenario de Chiloé but its financial bid, opened this week, proved better than the state treasury’s estimate. The bridge will have a main span of 1.1km and towers 180m high. The consortium is made up of Hochtief, Vinci Construction Grands Projets, American Bridge, Besalco and Tesca. The team will plan, build, finance and operate the bridge as a tolled crossing under a public-private partnership contract. Construction will start in the second half of 2007 and completion is due in late 2012. The consortium will operate the bridge for 30 years. Total investment is approximately US$410 million.

The Botswanan government is to spend approximately US$10 million building a bridge over the Okavango River at Mohembo. Tendering for the design will take approximately four months, starting in April, announced member of parliament Vistor Maruti. Costs have been estimated at US$8.9 million for the construction, US$780,000 for the design and US$446,000 for site supervision. Construction is expected to start in May 2006 with completion in 2007.

Maintenance workers on Sydney's Anzac Bridge will soon be able to make the 90m journey to the top more easily. The Roads & Traffic Authority of New South Wales has decided to install lifts in both pylons to save workers having to climb the 15 flights of ladders in each. Tenders are being invited for the design, construction and maintenance of the new lifts with a view to awarding the contract next month. A combined goods and passenger lift will run from the roadway level to just below the horizontal section of the the 'A'-shaped pylons. Space is restricted higher up, allowing only a goods lift to the viewing platform. Staff will therefore still need to climb the final section, but will be able to send heavy items - such as drums of grease - by lift.

A cable-stayed design, by Hyder Consulting in conjunction with LWK Architects, has won an international design competition for the new Chi Feng Bridge in Tianjin, China. The bridge reflects Tianjin's history as an important port, with the main tower resembling the masts of the traditional junks that have operated on the river for centuries. The bridge deck curves to join an existing flyover and this has resulted in the tower standing outside the deck envelope. Tensile piles are not favoured in China and so the designers have developed an innovative counterweight solution to counteract the resulting overturning force. This takes the form of the bow of a junk. Continuing the theme, the bridge pylons are configured to resemble ropes attached to a mast.

Northern Ireland Roads Services has appointed Hyder Consulting to investigate an accident that occurred on Foyle Bridge this week when an articulated lorry was blown off the bridge, killing the driver. The incident occurred in high winds, causing the lorry to veer off the road and through safety barriers before falling about 30m. Hyder Consulting technical director Phil Bailey said that the report will focus on the bridge parapets and safety barriers as well as the policy for closure of the bridge in high winds. The investigation is unrelated to Hyder’s ongoing commissioning for strengthening of the steel

Hong Kong's chief secretary for administration Donald Tsang has announced the approval of preparatory work for the 30km Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge. Tsang was speaking following a regular joint working meeting on co-operation between Hong Kong and Guangdong. He added that studies are to continue on the feasibility of a Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong express rail link.

A bridge is to be built across the River Rovumaon between Mozambique and Tanzania following the signing of a pact between the leaders of the two nations. Both countries have now committed to pay for the bridge, after failing to interest donors or funding agencies in the US$33 million scheme.

China's Ministry of Communications has published a photograph showing latest construction progress on the 215m-high steel towers of the Nanjing Third Yangtzee River Bridge. The bridge will be 1288m long, with a main span of 648m.

A record US$12.3 billion will be invested in Maryland's transportation network over the next six years, the state's governor announced yesterday. Robert Ehrlich outlined the programme which includes 123 projects and funding for a major road, the Intercounty Connector. New schemes added to the programme include the US$21.2 million Canton Viaduct and an US$83.9 million interchange. A transportation package which was authorised in 2004 had boosted the available funding by US$239 million a year.

Kuwait's Ministry of Public Works has started the prequalification process for the Sheikh Jaber Al Ahmed Al Sabah Causeway, running 36km across Kuwait Bay. International companies or consortia have until 7 February to return the prequalification applications. The design and build project will include 27km of low-level bridge across the bay with an elevated main section spanning up to 200m across a navigation channel. There will also be a 3km elevated road, approach roads and a 25ha island housing maintenance and emergency services. Tenderers will be provided with a concept design. The competition will be open internationally and only prequalified bidders will be invited to submit tenders.

The bulk of the forms are in place for the first of three concrete placements for the pylon diaphragms at the New Penobscot River Crossing. Cianbro-Reed & Reed has been placing the reinforcement and post-tensioning bars at both the Prospect and Verona Island pylons, despite snow and high winds hampering progress. The cable-stayed crossing is being built to replace the 1930s Waldo-Hancock suspension bridge. Operations are also under way to drill, pre-split and remove rock for the abutments and approaches to the new bridge. Total cost for the project is estimated at $84 million.