Weekly Quiz: US construction site raids | $650m soccer stadium build | Mammoth China high-speed rail bridge

1) What were the primary reasons cited by the US National Science Foundation (NSF) for withdrawing funding from the $2.4bn construction of the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) project in Hawaii

• Technical challenges and engineering failures at the construction site.
• Environmental concerns and opposition from international scientific communities.
• Budget constraints and a strategic shift towards projects with greater commercial return.

2) What is the status of the controversial A69 motorway project between Toulouse and Castres in France, as of late last week?

• The project was permanently halted due to environmental concerns raised by local authorities.
• Construction resumed after the Administrative Court of Appeal suspended earlier annulments of environmental authorisations.
• The French government withdrew funding, leading to the project’s indefinite suspension.

3) What is the planned seating capacity of the new $650m Chicago Fire Football Club stadium, construction of which was announced this week?

• 17,000
• 22,000
• 30,000

4) What is the design feature of the Shituo Yangtze River Bridge in China that distinguishes it among the dozen bridges along the Chongqing-Wanzhou high-speed railway?

• It features two 235m-tall double diamond-shaped towers and the longest span among the bridges.
• It is the only bridge that carries both rail and pedestrian traffic.
• It is the only bridge constructed entirely of steel.

5) Which of the following agencies participated in the 29 May 2025 immigration enforcement operation at construction sites in Tallahassee, Florida, USA?

• U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)
• Florida Highway Patrol
• Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

Submit Answers