New Tool Launched To Boost AUSTROADS Compliancy

Responding to concerns raised by councils surrounding the implementation of new mandatory Austroads technical standards, the Institute of Public Works Engineering Australasia Queensland
(IPWEAQ) has developed a new tool for road infrastructure managers and designers.

The new Austroads Guide to Temporary Traffic Management (AGTTM) guidelines became mandatory on 1 December 2021, having been available for voluntary use since January 2021.
Supporting the planning and design of cost-effective and efficient temporary traffic management solutions for low volume Category 1 roads, IPWEAQ Chief Executive Officer Leigh Cunningham said the Temporary Traffic Management Toolkit had been developed to increase the safety outcomes for road workers and motorists.

“It is critical that temporary traffic measures are designed and implemented with the highest level of safety, given they are such a major factor in road safety alongside higher and lower volumes of traffic and congestion and prevalence of traffic lights,” Ms Cunningham said.

“While new national standards based on the Austroads guidelines have just been mandated, our Toolkit responds to concerns by those planning and providing public works and services that the time, cost and resourcing required to implement them will hinder compliance for low volume roads.

“The Toolkit will assist Traffic Management Designers (TMD) prepare Traffic Management Plans (TMP) and associated Traffic Guidance Schemes (TGS) for low volume roads through identification, assessment and consideration.”

Changed and temporary traffic conditions at locations like roadworks, construction sites and hazard response sites, create significant risk on roads, and sadly have proven fatal to both road workers and road users in recent months.

Developed by industry for industry, the Queensland-led initiative navigates a vast array of standards and guidelines in a single, fit-for-purpose solution that can be implemented nationally.

“Temporary traffic management present risks on all classes of road, so the Toolkit provides a consistent approach for the majority of metropolitan and regional settings and simplifies compliance for even the smallest of traffic planning teams,” Ms Cunningham said.

Firmly supporting the development and implementation of the Temporary Traffic Management Toolkit, Local Government Association of Queensland (LGAQ) Chief Executive Officer Alison Smith said the safety of road workers and users is critical to all Queensland councils and those nationally.

“As a decentralised state, Queensland alone has a wide variety of councils from Brisbane to Boulia and includes an ever-changing road environment, which is why our members called for a fit-for-purpose solution to temporary traffic management,” Ms Smith said.

“In Queensland, local government manage over 150,000 kilometres of roads, so IPWEAQ’s TTM Toolkit provides councils with the tools and guidance to achieve positive road safety outcomes appropriate to the level of risk when undertaking traffic management.”

The Temporary Traffic Management Toolkit was developed by industry, for industry, supported by LGAQ and validated by Registered Professional Engineers of Queensland (RPEQ) and experienced designers representing all part of the sector. It includes a Traffic Management Plan, tools, templates and 115 traffic guidance schemes.