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Two million dollars in Federal funding will be available to test new technologies that can reduce congestion from construction and improve safety and quality. The FHWA will award $2 million through a third solicitation under the Highways for LIFE Program in addition to the $2,373,000 previously awarded. A solicitation for proposals will be issued in the latter part of August 2009.

The first in the new TRL Insight Report Series is now available. "Improving the Stability of Slopes Using a Spaced Piling Technique" (Ref: INS001) by Derek R. Carder, Research Fellow, TRL Infrastructure Division. This Insight Report discusses the findings from a literature review, centrifuge and analytical studies, and two instrumented case studies to remediate clay slope on the highway network. The implications of the findings are discussed and design recommendations given.

DG TREN are preparing a Commission proposal for guidelines of TEN-T to be published in early 2010. For this reason, they are forming six working groups and would like 'key stakeholders' participation. The chair of these working groups are also available, however it seems clear that the first two chairs have been earmarked, this is not the case for the rest.

On 16th and 17th July 2009, rehabilitation works will take place on the Log Čezsoški bridge, (Slovenia) with the world premiere application of a new generation of Ultra High Performance Fibre Reinforced Concretes (UHPFRC). A public application will be taking place on 17th July at 11 a.m. on the Log Čezsoški bridge.

On 26 June 2009, FEHRL organized a workshop on secondary road infrastructure management. The workshop titled “Pilot initiative for a common curriculum for road safety experts: training and application on secondary roads” aims to provide regional authorities with the tools to apply the principles of the Directive 2008/96/CE on road infrastructure safety management on their road networks.

The PIARC Committee on Road Pavements (TC D2) is collecting information about maintenance methods and maintenance strategies. The purpose  is to undertake an analysis of the performance of improved maintenance methods including surface maintenance and structural rehabilitation of different types of pavements. Two questionnaires have been prepared.

Thanks to the Highway Institute of Serbia, the "FEHRL 2009" publication has now been translated into Serbian and published in the Professional Journal "Put i saobracaj" (Road and Transportation) No. 2/2009 of the Serbian Road Association. The publication in Serbian may be accessed here. 

The European Asphalt Pavement Association today launched a position paper on The Use of Warm Mix Asphalt. The paper outlines technologies for producing Warm Mix Asphalt (WMA) at temperatures between 100 and 140°C, while still maintaining the properties and performance of Hot Mix Asphalt (HMA), which is produced at higher temperatures of 140 to 180°C. A typical WMA is applied at around 20-40°C lower than an equivalent HMA.

Some of the most advanced and innovative examples of transport infrastructure were discussed during the Fifth Symposium on Strait Crossing in Trondheim, Norway.  During the opening ceremony, NPRA Deputy Director Kjell Bjorvig stressed the challenges facing transport infrastructure.  FEHRL's Secretary-General Steve Phillips highlighted the need for greater recognition of the high-level of innovation in the field coupled with the enormous societal and economic benefits.

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