Proactive highway widening, maintenance and reinvestment are among the factors that have helped Highway 407 stem recessionary impacts, a company official said last week. Imad Nassereddine, chief traffic operations officer for the 407 ETR Concession Co. Ltd., was speaking at Transport Futures 2009: Road Pricing and Public Acceptance Workshops in Toronto Nov. 12 to 13. Join discussion...

Spanish toll road operator Cintra (CCIT.MC), controlled by Ferrovial (FER.MC), said the pace of decline in traffic on its main toll roads had slowed after posting a 3.4 percent fall in nine-month core earnings. The company said highway traffic remained weak but the decline slowed in the second and third quarters. One bright spot was an increase in users of its Chicago Skyway. Join discussion...

The relatively upbeat comments follow a sharp cut in the group's valuation of its toll road portfolio and come amid a continuing review of options by MIG. "Whilst the protracted slowdown in global economic activity has continued to weigh on traffic volumes, in particular heavy vehicles, there are signs of a stabilisation," it said. "This stabilisation, together with changes to tolling structures implemented during the past six to nine months has delivered positive revenue growth on every road in MIG's portfolio during the quarter.” Join discussion...

HCMC eyes private investments in traffic projects Ho Chi Minh City plans to seek private domestic and foreign investment in some key traffic projects, Tran Quang Phuong, director of the city Department of Transport, told Sai Gon Giai Phong. Join discussion...

National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) spelt out reasons for sluggish progress in the highway projects in a detailed report submitted to roads and highways minister Kamal Nath, highlighting the Model Concession Agreement (MCA) that is seen to have choked execution of the programme. Join discussion...

If New York can have a subway, Paris the Metro and Chicago The Loop, why doesn’t Orange County have a similar public transportation system or even a better system than it currently has? Well, Orange County Transportation Authority Director and Chair, Peter Buffa, says we do. “Better is in the eye of the commuter,” Buffa said. “Our freeway system is world-class, as is all of Southern California’s. It’s overwhelmed in the morning and afternoon rush hours, but every metro-area freeway system is. Our public transit system is not world-class, but it surprises people to know that our bus system is the 12th largest in the country.” Join discussion...

VINCI’s consolidated revenue (1) for the first quarter of 2009 was €7.0 billion, down 2.6% compared with the same period in 2008. This change reflects a decrease in activity of -3.9% on a like-for-like basis, a 3.3% positive impact from external growth, and an unfavourable exchange rate fluctuation of -2.0%. In Contracting, revenue fell (-2.0% on an actual basis, -3.5% on a like-for-like basis) mainly due to poor weather conditions which affected progress on construction sites at the beginning of the year, especially road works. VINCI Concessions’ revenue decreased (-3.5% on a like-to-like basis, -4% on a constant consolidation scope basis) primarily due to the overall moderate fall in French motorway toll revenue in a continuation of the trend observed at the end of 2008. Join discussion...

THE operator of the Lane Cove Tunnel is expected to be given another reprieve this month from the financial guarantor of its $1.14 billion of debt, despite reporting another fall in traffic figures and recently posting a $900 million full-year loss. Connector Motorways is expected to be given its fourth stay of execution from the guarantor of the road's bond facilities, MBIA Insurance Corp, which will provide more time for a possible recapitalisation of the road. Join discussion...

Abertis, the Spanish infrastructure group, on Tuesday unveiled a less-than-expected fall in first-quarter net profit, as acquisitions and steady results at its telecoms business helped offset the impact of reduced traffic on its toll roads and at its airports. The company, which derives half its revenues from outside the recession-hit domestic economy, said net profit for the three months to the end of March was €122m, 9 per cent less than the €134m reported in the same period last year. Join discussion...

IFC is advising the General Authority of Civil AviationGeneral Authority of Civil AviationGeneral Authority of Civil Aviation GACA structuring a public-private partnership model to expand the airport. The private sector partner will be chosen through a competitive bidding process. This important infrastructure project will help the airport improve operations. Join discussion...