Austroads’ newly released 10-Part Guide to Temporary Traffic Management aims to improve the safety and efficiency of temporary traffic management on road worksites across Australia and New Zealand.
Temporary traffic management creates safe work areas for construction, maintenance and other activities which occur on or near a road by using traffic control devices such as signs, traffic signals, pavement markings or traffic islands installed with the approval of a local or state road agency.
In Australia, 537 local councils across eight States and Territories manage 75 percent of the road network including service and access lanes, collector roads and footpaths, parking bays and road reserves. Around 250,000 people and more than 800 companies provide temporary traffic management services.
Permits Officer and Traffic Technician, Yarra City Council, Jzanelle Cook, is one of the local government representatives on the Austroads working group that has initiated the Guide.
“Austroads used best practice existing legislative requirements and implementation practices from each jurisdiction to develop the Guide.
“With so many councils managing the road network, it’s important that worksite planning and sign messaging are implemented and interpreted consistently, including aftercare requirements, to safeguard every road worker and road user in the country.”
The Guide provides information to manage the wide range of issues that must be considered during temporary traffic management activities including protecting pedestrians, cyclists and public transport users; considering road freight trains and managing congestion.
For example, Appendix B of Part 8: Processes and Procedures contains a series of standard forms that can be adapted for local use to support council staff initiating and implementing traffic management plans, removing barriers and signs and opening roads to traffic. These forms include checklists, a daily traffic management diary and site condition rating forms.
Appendix C of Part 8 comprises a comprehensive temporary traffic management specification template for local roads.
“All 10 Parts of the Guide apply to the local government road network,” Cook said.
“Council departments working with or managing temporary traffic management contractors will find the information particularly useful, including permits and consents teams, parking inspectors, road maintenance crews, traffic engineers, depot staff, project managers, and emergency management and events teams.”
Download the Guide for free from the Austroads website: visit austroads.com.au/publications.
State and territory road transport agencies are planning to implement the Guide based on their existing jurisdictional guidance and need for further consultation with local councils and industry.
*Copy supplied by Austroads
