The site of the Yamashiro Bridge scores highly in terms of dramatic views, but it is a contractor's nightmare when it comes to logistics. The bridge, which is currently under construction, is perched high up on the steep sides of a river valley with virtually no space for construction. The fast-flowing Dozan River far below is a popular spot for white water rafting.

US bridge engineers and highway administrators are gaining confidence in the performance of cable-stayed bridges. As a result, more and more of these elegant bridges are being built, with the number expanding rapidly over the last decade. The US inventory of 24 bridges that existed in 1992 is expected to nearly double by 2005. Information gathered from evaluating stay cable systems for nearly 25 long-span bridges worldwide, plus the instrumentation, health monitoring, and inspection of eight cable-stayed bridges in the US, have combined to create a comprehensive approach to cable-stayed bridge inspection, condition assessment, and maintenance of these aesthetically-refined structures.

Washington State Department of Transportation has announced that it is terminating work at the Hood Canal Bridge's Port Angeles graving dock site. Centuries-old tribal remains had been found at the site which was to have been used for the construction of replacement pontoons and anchors for the upgrade of the floating bridge. WSDOT had already announced this month that it was

San Van Bridge in Macau has been inaugurated ahead of its opening to traffic next month. The ribbon was cut by China's president Hu Jintao and Macau's chief executive Edmund Ho Hau Wah as part of ceremonies marking the 5th anniversary of Macau's return to China. The 2.2km cable-stayed bridge has been the largest project in the special administrative region. There are two decks in the US$70 million structure, with the enclosed lower section reserved for use during typhoons. A light rail system may also be installed.

Washington State Department of Transportation is giving serious consideration to a request to abandon work at the Hood Canal Bridge's graving dock site. Archaeological excavations have been under way since the discovery last year of human remains dating from a centuries-old tribal village. The Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe has now formally asked WSDOT to leave the site, which was to be used for construction of the replacement pontoons and anchors needed to upgrade the 43-year-old floating bridge. WSDOT has announced that it is considering several options including:

The Buffalo & Fort Erie Public Bridge Authority is preparing to launch an international bridge design competition for a new crossing of the Niagara River between the US and Canada. Designers from around the world will be invited to take part in the competition to design the 620m structure. Expressions of interest will be solicited early in 2005 and a shortlist will be announced in March or April. Those shortlisted will each receive a stipend to take part in the competition.

Local authorities at both ends of London's proposed Thames Gateway Bridge have provisionally given the go-ahead for the river crossing. Greenwich Council approved the structure on Tuesday, followed by Newham yesterday. Legal issues remain to be agreed and the bridge still has to be approved by London's mayor Ken Livingstone. The 650m-long spine bridge would provide segregated lanes for general traffic and public transport as well as space for pedestrians and cyclists. Opening is expected in 2012.

Dragages-China Harbour Joint Venture has won a US$130 million contract to build Hong Kong's East Tsing Yi Viaduact. The 1.1km dual three-lane viaduct will link Stonecutters Bridge and Nam Wan Tunnel. It is the last civils works contract for Route 8, which will provide a direct link between the airport and the Northeast New Territories.

French premier Jacques Chirac today inaugurates the spectacular Millau Viaduct, ahead of the opening to traffic later in the week. The 2.46km cable-stayed bridge crosses the Tarn valley in southern France on seven piers up to 235m high.

Californian's transport authorities have recommended development of a simpler option for the main span of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge in parallel with rebidding the original design.

Land Transport New Zealand has approved US$2 million for the design of the replacement for Coromandel's 80-year-old Kopu bridge. The existing one lane bridge can cause delays of 1.5 hours and queues of over 14km at peak holiday periods. The new two-way bridge will be 480m long and will include dedicted pedestrian and cycle lanes.

Thelwall Viaduct's northern carriageway is to reopen this month following the replacement of all 148 bearings. The work has been completed four months ahead of schedule.

The Ministry of Chinese Railways has awarded Systra a contract to provide advisory and supervision services for a new cable-stayed road and rail crossing of the Yangtze River.

The European Bank for Reconstruction & Development is lending Bosnia & Herzegovina US$94 million to improve road transport. Part of the money will be used to build a bridge over the River Sava and create a new border crossing between Bosnia & Hersegovina and Croatia. The financing will also be used to build a bypass around Sarajevo which will form an integral part of a pan-European corridor as well as reducing congestion around the city. A third portion of the loan will be used for a motorway from Banja Luka to Gradiska.

Ohio and Kentucky have announced an agreement to embark on design work to improve traffic capacity at the Brent Spence Bridge. Ohio Department of Transportation and Kentucky Transportation Cabinet announced a US$18 million partnership to carry out the environmental and preliminary design phases for the replacement or rehabilitation of the 1960s bridge. Selection of a consultant is expected by May 2005. The project cost has been estimated at US$750 million.

One man was killed and three injured yesterday when a supporting structure collapsed at the Four Bears Bridge, under construction across Lake Sakakawea in North Dakota. The US Occupational Safety & Health Administration is investigating the accident.

Construction of the fourth bridge over Dubai Creek will start this month, Dubai Municipality has confirmed. Work will be carried out in three phases with completion due by September 2006, said assistant director-general for projects and roads Mattar Mohammad Al Tayer. The first US$123 million phase will include the Ras Al Khor Bridge itself and a tunnel. The bridge will have five lanes in each direction, with the option of a sixth.

The Roads & Traffic Authority of New South Wales has announced its preferred route for a third crossing of the Hunter River in Maitland. An eastern option is advocated, with a bridge between East Maitland and Bolwarra as well as 5km of new road. An environmental impact assessment will now be carried out, with the results exhibited in late 2005. Construction is expected to begin by late 2006.

John Holland has been awarded a US$43.1 million construction contract for a bus, pedestrian and cycle bridge in Brisbane, Australia. The Green Bridge will cater for about 240 bus journeys a day, linking the city's Dutton Park with the University of Queensland.

Outokumpu Stainless Hot Rolled Plate is to supply 2000t of individually hot-rolled stainless steel plate for Hong Kong's Stonecutters Bridge. Steel for the US$13.1 million order will be produced at Outokumpu's production facility in Degerfors, Sweden.

Ho Chi Minh City's planned Phu My Bridge has received government approval. Construction of the US$112.8 million crossing is expected to start in the second quarter of 2005. The 2km bridge will cross Dong Nai River with a navigational clearance of 54m.

Maine Department of Transportation has announced agreement of a contract with Cianbro/Reed & Reed for the final construction phase of the Waldo-Hancock Bridge’s replacement. The $56 million lump sum contract includes final plans for a 128m observatory topping the western tower.

Construction of a steel bridge linking three island towns in the Philippines province of Zamboanga Sibugays is to start early next year. Governor George Hofer announced that Britain is providing the main source of funding for the US$1.8 million project.

Successful repair and restoration projects are celebrated in the Institution of Civil Engineers’ annual Historic Bridge & Infrastructure Awards, announced today. “The awards are important because they recognise and encourage excellence and innovation in historic civil engineering," said HBIA chairman Roland Paxton.

Peter Head is joining Arup from Fabermaunsell to lead a newly integrated business in urban design and development.

A 43m bridge has been successfully lifted into position around the structure it replaces without disrupting Copenhagen's rail traffic. The main challenge was to carry 10 main telephone cables which could not be cut, nor even moved aside by more than 1m. The solution, devised by consultant COWI, was to build the new 5m wide bridge around the narrower original structure. The cables were then moved before the old bridge was dismantled. The new bridge is made up of two 800mm diameter steel pipes, bolted to steel beams. Each pipe arrived on site in one piece including its piers and was positioned within three hours over two nights. The old riveted steel bridge was then cut into three pieces and removed over the next three nights. Work to finish off the deck can take place during the day and the project is due for completion next month. Client for the scheme is Copenhagen's Municipality.

The final span has been placed on a 1.6km crossing of Kola Bay in the Barents Sea inside the Polar Circle. The US$100 million bridge in Russia's Murmansk region is due for completion next year. Construction began in 1992 and it was originally due to be finished in 2000. The bridge will link military bases to towns on the other side of the bay, shortening journeys by 16km.

Capilano Suspension Bridge’s treetops adventure near Vancouver has been named innovator of the year in Canada’s national awards for tourism excellence. Visitors cross a series of seven suspension bridges 30m above the forest floor, walking through old Douglas Firs. The design has been praised both by engineers and ecologists.

Vietnam's prime minister Phan Van Khai has inaugurated the 1.5km Da Rang bridge over the Ba River, together with over 12km of approach roads. Construction of the US$20.4 million project took just 16 months. The original bridge was in poor condition and its replacement is intended to help boost economic growth in the Phu Yen province and the wider region.

Construction of the 1.5km Mukterpur Bridge is set to start in December. The scheme - also known as the Sixth China-Bangladesh Friendship Bridge - will establish a fixed link between Dhaka and Munshigonj, crossing the River Dhaleswari. Work on the third Buriganga Bridge will start in January with completion of the 423m bridge due within three years.

Edmund Nuttall and its designer Halcrow Group have been announced as the preferred team for the Barnstaple Western Bypass in south west England. The 2.7km scheme includes a 400m, five-span bridge to carry the bypass over the River Taw. Devon County Council is client for the project, which will be carried out under a design and build contract. The cost estimate for the total scheme is US$77.7 million and construction is scheduled to take 105 weeks.

Interactive Design Systems has launched its new MC3D software. The software has been developed to enable bridge builders to control the geometry of bridges built of prestressed concrete using precast segments. It allows the user to verify that the structure's actual geometry is in close agreement with the design documents, says IDS.

Michael Baker has beaten four other major consultants to win the design contract for the Downtown Bridge, a key part of the US$1.9 billion Ohio River Bridges Project. The six lane bridge will carry northbound traffic just east of the existing Kennedy Bridge connecting Louisville, Kentucky and Jefferson, Indiana. The company will develop a variety of concepts and the final design is expected to be chosen towards the end of 2005 with construction beginning in 2007. The design team for a second Ohio River Bridges Project crossing is due to be announced this month.

Stakeholders in the St Croix River Crossing have reached preliminary agreements on many of the major issues surrounding the project, including the type of structure. An extradosed box girder design has been chosen from a wide range of options for the bridge joining Wisconsin and Minnesota. The existing Stillwater Lift Bridge will be retained and connected into a cycle and pedestrian trail linking the two states.

Three international consortia have been shortlisted to build the record-breaking Messina Bridge. They are:

South Korea's 1st Jindo Grand Bridge now has a twin 20 years its junior, with the completion of a matching cable-stayed structure alongside. Consultant High-Point Rendel joined forces with Korean contractor Hyundai for the design of the 2nd Jindo Grand Bridge, which has a central span of 345m and 70m spans at either end. The original structure was designed by High-Point Rendel and completed in 1984. Opening of its twin will double the traffic capacity between Jindo Island and the South Korean mainland.

The Maltese government has launched an international tender for engineering services to determine the work needed at its Manwel Dimech Bridge. Oscillations have led to weight and speed restrictions on the 34 year old crossing, which consists of a pair of parallel three-span pre-stressed concrete bridges. The contract includes inspection and testing, design, preparation of the tender for the works and site supervision. Client is the Malta Transport Authority and the deadline for submissions is 14 December.

Bilfinger Berger has issued a statement saying that it has increased to US$64 million its financial provision for the delays and additional costs on the troubled Maumee River Crossing project. US subsidiary Fru-Con is building the $220 million cable-stayed bridge for the Ohio Department of Transportation.

Construction of the Maumee River Crossing was suspended on Saturday when part of a launching gantry collapsed just hours after work had resumed following an earlier accident. Work on the approach spans had been on hold for eight months since the fatal collapse of the other gantry.

South Africa’s Department of Labour today opens a formal inquiry into last year’s fatal collapse of a bridge under construction. Two people died and 20 were injured in November 2003 when falsework gave way while deck concrete was being placed for an interchange in the Coega industrial development zone.

Mott MacDonald is leading a consortium that has been appointed to carry out the engineering design for the US$114 million modernisation and improvement of railway infrastructure on a Trans-European Network corridor. The project for Hungarian State Railways will involve the design development of all elements of railway infrastructure including track, bridges, stations and signalling for the 18 km section between Budapest- Ferencváros and Vecsés. The Mott MacDonald-led consortium includes Fõmterv, DE-Consult, ISV and ILF.

Plans have been agreed for a full scale lighting trial on the Humber Bridge.

The Greater Vancouver Transportation Authority, Translink, has invited requests for qualification to design, build, finance, operate, maintain and rehabilitate the Golden Ears Bridge and its associated roads. Focal point of the US$460 million scheme is a six-lane, 1km crossing of the Frasier River which will include navigational channels of 170m and 125m. The deadline for submissions is 19 November.

Skanska has won a US$148 million contract to rehabilitate New York’s Manhattan Bridge. The project for New York City Department of Transportation covers comprehensive refurbishment and reinforcement of the bridge structure. Work will include replacing lateral supports, retaining walls and roadways on the approach and suspended bridge spans in Manhattan and Brooklyn. Skanska USA Civil's unit Koch Skanska will start the 40 month scheme early next year.

A groundbreaking ceremony has taken place to mark the start of Indian River Inlet Bridge in Sussex County, Delaware. "The new bridge will be the longest single concrete arch cable-supported bridge in the world,” Delaware Department of Transportation secretary Nathan Hayward III told the 800 people gathered for the celebrations. Severe tidal conditions affect the existing bridge’s foundations and so the replacement will cross the inlet in a single 300m span without any river piers. The design is by Figg Bridge Engineers.

A joint venture of Obayashi and PS Mitsubishi Construction is the apparent low bidder for the Colorado River Bridge, just downstream from the Hoover Dam. The team beat three others with its bid of US$114 million, which was US$17.8 million above the engineer's estimate. When time costs of $8,000/day are factored in, the total cost comes to US$123.7 million, against an engineer's estimate of US$106.4 million.

Konkan Railway has awarded bridge and tunnel contracts worth some US$290 million for work on the Katra-Laole section of the Udhampur-Srinagar–Baramulla rail link in the state of Jammu & Kashmi.

One end of Shanghai's Donghai Bridge was connected to land this week when the central section of the record-breaking sea bridge reached the city's Nanhui district. This will make it much easier to transport materials to the workface, saving the need to deliver everything by sea. The 31km bridge will link Shanghai to a port at the mouth of Hangzhou Bay. It will be China's longest sea crossing. Completion is due by the end of 2005.

The final pier of the 1.95km Nagqu bridge in Tibet has been completed. The concrete structure is being built at an altitude of over 4,500m and is the longest bridge on the 1,142km Qinghai-Tibet railway which is due for completion in 2007. It has 59 piers of up to 21.4 m high.

The New South Wales Roads & Traffic Authority is considering creating

Ohio Department of Transportation has invited the local community to discuss the design of a US$70 million cable-stayed structure that will replace the existing bridge between Ironton in Ohio and Russell in Kentucky. Today’s meeting stems from an initiative launched in in 2000 to focus attention on improving the look of the state’s highway system. The aesthetic design team from ODOT’s central office will discuss creative concepts that will be developed over the course of the next several months and adapted into the bridge design, which is by Baker & Associates. The construction contract for the 760m bridge is expected to be awarded in late 2005.

Florida's Escambia Bay bridge has been reopened less than three weeks after Hurricane Ivan knocked out 58 spans and damaged dozens more. Officials and locals praised the work of crews who had worked round the clock to repair the busy interstate highway bridge as quickly as possible. Gilbert Southern and Massman Construction had signed the US$26.4 million, 24 day contract on September 18 and completed the work seven days ahead of schedule. Early completion of the work earns the contractor a bonus of approximately US$250,000 per day.

Balfour Beatty Construction has won civil engineering contracts in the US worth a total of US$480 million. Largest of the six contracts is a US$113 million scheme to widen approximately 8km of Route 405 in Culver City, California. The project – one of three for client Caltrans - includes the widening of 26 bridges and placing over 70,000m^³ of retaining wall concrete and concrete pavement. The other schemes that were announced this week are in Maryland, Texas and Washington State.

California is rejecting the sole bid for the self-anchored suspension portion of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge. The lower of two options tendered in May by a joint venture of American Bridge, NS Bridge and Fluor had come in at US$1.4 billion, which was almost double the state's estimate.

The Vietnam government plans to ask the French government for a US$14.8 million loan for the first phase of the restoration of the Long Bien bridge which spans the Red River. Long Bien bridge was one of the first metal bridges to be built in the southeast Asian peninsular. It was built more than 100 years ago by French colonialists.