Month: April 2022

Turkey Inaugurates The Landmark 1915 Çanakkale Bridge

On 18 March 2022, the 1915 Çanakkale Bridge was put into operation after years of work, since its foundations date back to 2017. Located in the province of Çanakkale in northwestern Turkey, the 1915 Çanakkale Bridge earned the title of the world’s widest middle span suspension bridge. 

The bridge is located just south of the coastal towns of Lapseki and Gelibolu and spans the Dardanelles Strait, about 10 km south of the Sea of Marmara. The bridge connects with a system of highways that surround the Marmara Sea, which is home to nearly one-third of Turkey's population and a region that hosts major industrial and commercial hubs.  

To commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Turkish Republic, this structure was designed with a length of 3.563 metres, a main span of 2.023 metres, and side spans of 770 metres each. The overall crossing length is 4.608 metres when the 365- and 680-metre approach viaducts are added. Also known as the Suspension Bridge, the 1915 Çanakkale Bridge has 2x3 traffic lanes. The bridge deck is a dual deck with a width of 45,06 metres and a height of 3,5 metres. 

The tower foundations rest freely on the Asian side at a depth of -45 metres, and the improved seafloor rests at a depth of -37 metres on the European side. Its steel towers are considered the highest ones in the world, as they measure 318 metres and can reach a height of 334 metres above sea level, when considered together with a 16-metre architectural cannonball figure. The steel tower’s height of the 1915 engineers have kept the configuration of the bridge to stand for symbolic values. 

The Çanakkale Bridge’s shape symbolises artillery shells as a tribute to the famed World War I Battle of Gallipoli. Its spires reach a height of 318 metres. The 2,023-metre span commemorates the 100th anniversary of the Republic of Turkey’s foundation. The number 1915 in the bridge's name, as well as the bridge's height of 318 metres – which corresponds to the 18th day of the 3rd month – represent the Canakkale Naval Victory of March 18, 1915. 

by Mao Macatangay

Communiqué de Presse : Autoroutes du Maroc, à l'Occassion de la Journée Internationale des Femmes

À l’occasion de la journée internationale des femmes, la Société Nationale des Autoroutes du Maroc met à l’honneur la femme ingénieure marocaine et sa contribution à faire du Maroc un leader africain en matière d’infrastructure

Rabat, le 08 Mars 2022 : Pour célébrer la journée internationale des femmes, la Société Nationale des Autoroutes du Maroc (ADM) a choisi cette année de rendre hommage à la femme ingénieure marocaine dans le domaine de génie civil et sa contribution à faire du Maroc un leader africain en matière d’infrastructure.

Consciente que le capital humain est un des facteurs déterminants de la performance, ADM, dans le cadre de son grand chantier de transformation, met œuvre depuis ces 5 dernières années une politique RH qui remet l’humain au centre des développements, sans oublier la diversité de genre.

Aujourd’hui, la femme d’ADM occupe des postes clés dans plusieurs métiers notamment la construction et l’entretien de l’infrastructure autoroutière. Hajar Boughaza est l’une des ingénieures talentueuses d’ADM, qui ont fait carrière dans ce domaine souvent considér comme étant prisé par les hommes. Titulaire d’un diplôme d’ingénieure en génie civil, elle a commencé sa carrière à ADM projet, la filiale d’expertise technique d’ADM, en tant qu’ingénieure études pour se diriger ensuite vers les travaux où elle a été notamment cheffe de lot terrassement et assainissement du projet de triplement de l’autoroute CASABLANCA-BERRECHID sur un linéaire de 12 km, un poste occupé pour la première fois par une femme ingénieure marocaine. Actuellement, elle est cheffe du projet de l’échangeur « El Massira » sur l’autoroute Casablanca-Marrakech, qu’elle pilote cette fois-ci de bout en bout.

Hajar Boughaza et bien d’autres ingénieures d’ADM sont des modèles de femmes marocaines actives et engagées dans le développement socio-économique de notre Pays, tout en contribuant au rayonnement et à la modernisation de l’image de la femme marocaine à l’échelle internationale.

by Mao Macatangay

Dynniq Mobility Becomes SWARCO

Rebranding takes shape

The merger of Dynniq Mobility with SWARCO, initiated at the end of September 2021, proceeds according to plan and enters the next phase with the rebranding of the Dynniq Mobility companies.  

The merger between SWARCO and Dynniq Mobility, two well-known brands in the industry, has a significant impact on how they act and are perceived as a global player in the ITS industry. To establish a common feeling, both internally as well as externally, the company has decided to move towards a joint SWARCO organization with a unified identity as quickly as possible. 

“We have been clear from the beginning that it is our intention to promote the SWARCO umbrella brand to make it the leading brand in the ITS sector”, says SWARCO CEO Michael Schuch. “By leveraging the power of the strong SWARCO family brand, we want to strengthen our identity and culture and offer our business relations added value. Merging Dynniq Mobility with SWARCO will help us use the joint capabilities, intensify research and development, and come up with the best-in-class solutions portfolio in urban and interurban mobility management.” 

The first changes have already been implemented: In Denmark, Sweden and Finland, the Dynniq Mobility staff moved into joint offices at the local SWARCO premises. In Belgium, Poland, and Croatia, Dynniq’s legal entities have been renamed SWARCO. The Dynniq Mobility companies in the Netherlands and the UK will follow in due course.   

Dynniq Mobility CEO Jan Vos sees great advantages in the merger. “Through SWARCO’s acquisition of Dynniq Mobility, the company can offer an extraordinary range of products, like the add-on of Dynniq’s SCOOT to the SWARCO MyCity platform, which will enable new end-to-end solutions to new and existing customers worldwide. With a globally extended footprint and more than 200 R&D domain experts in-house, SWARCO will address the rapidly changing landscape and drive innovation in the industry.” The biggest beneficiaries are road users all around the globe. The harmonized market presence of SWARCO and Dynniq Mobility will accelerate adoption and usage of ITS solutions, thus reducing road fatalities and CO₂ emissions and improving the travel experience in general. 

At Intertraffic Amsterdam, Dynniq Mobility could be found in hall 2 on the SWARCO stand. Both companies will celebrate that they are stronger together with the industry stakeholders at an after-show reception on 30 March. 

ABOUT SWARCO 

SWARCO’s leading idea is to improve quality of life by making the travel experience safer, quicker, more convenient and environmentally sound. With more than five decades of experience in the industry, the Austrian traffic technology corporation produces and provides a large range of products, systems, services, and turnkey solutions for road marking, urban and interurban traffic management, parking, and public transport. Cooperative systems, infrastructure-to-vehicle communication, e-mobility, and integrated software solutions for the Livable City complement the group’s future-oriented portfolio.  Over 5000 traffic experts are keen to shape together with all stakeholders in the traffic industry the transition from conventional traffic management to value-added services fit for the traveller in the digital age. SWARCO’s products, systems and solutions contribute to greater road safety and intelligent traffic management in 80 countries and generate revenues of almost a billion euros. 

www.swarco.com

by Mao Macatangay

Holcim Launches Gender Diversity Programme to Get More Females in the Driver’s Seat (Women on Wheels) 

Holcim builds progress for people and the planet. And this includes our commitment to Diversity & Inclusion in our 120,000 strong truck driver force. 

Nothing prevents women from doing the job. Let’s fight the myth.  

As a global leader in innovative and sustainable building solutions, Holcim (IRF Member) employs around 70,000 people who are passionate about building progress across our 60 markets and four business segments: Cement, Ready-Mix Concrete, Aggregates, and Solutions & Products.

All that cement, concrete, aggregates, and building products have to be transported to reach their end-users. Third-party logistics providers fulfill 95% of our transport needs, employing around 120,000 predominantly male truck drivers.  

Within Holcim, the first initiative to encourage female drivers originated in 2018 in Uganda where a forward-looking country organisation wanted to establish a balanced driver workforce within its own newly established truck fleet. An added focus was placed on training, mentoring, and coaching as well as equal pay and treatment, good facilities and improved emergency response. 

Drivers’ performance is measured according to global KPIs for speed, hours of service, harsh braking, and accelerating using an in-Vehicle Monitoring System. Using this data, the benefits of the original programme in Uganda are remarkable: 

• 7% increase in safe km driven 
• 6% more mileage per liter of fuel compared to their male counterparts 
• 12% improvement in fleet turnaround time 
• 15% lower vehicle maintenance costs 
• Improved customer relations 

Astrid van der Burgt, the Head of Road Safety at Holcim says: “The programme changed the narrative in the country, showing that women drive trucks just as well as men. Women are empowered to change the perspective and culture in the country, and our colleagues in Uganda are justifiably proud of this.” 

The global framework released on International Women's Day emphasizes the importance of good preparation for such a programme. Some of the issues to resolve before even thinking about recruiting women are safety (e.g., safe parking areas or rest houses with decent and hygienic facilities, emergency response in case of an emergency), a good work/life balance (especially for night trips), and vehicle suitability (e.g. ability to adjust sufficiently the height of the seat, the steering wheel or the gear shift). 

In an effort to reach as many women as possible and to give them the confidence these are trustworthy schemes, the Holcim Women on Wheels national programmes proactively seek to build partnerships with transporters, training organisations, vehicle manufacturers, trade associations, or other umbrella organisations and organisations which will lend credibilities such as a transport safety authority or a national occupational safety service. 

Since the original initiative in Uganda, South Africa, Kenya, Nigeria, Kenya, Mexico, and the USA have all developed their own programmes. Over 150 additional female drivers have joined their ranks as part of these programmes.   

Why do female drivers make good business sense? 

• There is a global shortage of truck drivers. 
• Women appear to be, on average, safer drivers than men. 
• Early analysis indicates that female driving habits can contribute to improved fuel consumption, less maintenance, and less vehicle wear and tear, saving expenditures in the long term. 

All countries in the Holcim Group are encouraged to copy this initiative in 2022. The mantra? Together, let’s encourage diversity amongst our drivers. 

by Mao Macatangay

The FIA Road Safety Advocacy Strategy (2021-2023)

Following the 3rd Global Ministerial Conference on Road Safety in Stockholm in February 2020, Delegates concluded that a different approach is necessary, a concerted effort in which safe mobility is the core, fundamental value of the road transport system. The call for a change in approach was embodied in the ‘Stockholm Declaration’ endorsed by the UN General Assembly. 

In response to this strong call, the FIA developed an FIA Road Safety Advocacy Strategy for 2021-2023, in consultation with its Members. The Strategy sets out the FIA strategic framework for the next three years to work with, and support, its Member Clubs and Regions in promoting and pursuing a global culture of safe mobility to make the world’s roads safer. The FIA will do this through leadership, engagement, advocacy and action, building effective partnerships and implementing evidence-based interventions that will improve the safety of mobility.  

This new Strategy is a step change in direction and focus, moving beyond the emphasis on awareness raising and driver behavior to a broader systemic approach across all facets of mobility with all participants in the road safety eco-system prioritizing safety.  

This Strategy supports the key outcomes of the Third Global Ministerial Conference on Road Safety in Stockholm 2020. The road safety global leaders reaffirmed their commitment to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) targets for road safety with a particular emphasis on vulnerable road users, the unacceptable burden on children and young people and those in urban environments and low-incomes countries. The Stockholm Declaration highlighted the importance of the safe systems principles and he need for governments to apply these principles in implementing regulations, legislation and standards for road and vehicle design and construction, and road use. These principles are reflected throughout this Strategy.  

The Strategy also complements the SDGs focusing on healthy lives and well-being for all at all ages, particularly he young and the vulnerable who are at greater risk from road crashes. The Strategy adopts Vision Zero and SDG 3.6 in halving the number of fatalities and serious injuries from road crashes by 2030. The Strategy emphasizes healthy and well-being through safe mobility in SDG 11.2. Through the Strategic Objectives these broader affordable, accessible and environmentally sustainable transport systems from SDG 11.2 are incorporated.  

by Mao Macatangay