Redefining our Road Network
Friday 15 September 2023 1:15pm-2:30pm
Session Outline
Session Moderator – Timothy Clark, Senior Transport Planner | Transurban
- Emily Lodder, Director Transport Operations | Department of Transport and Planning - Smarter Roads
- Azadeh Emami, Signals engineer | Department of Transport and Planning - Smarter Roads (joint presentation with Emily Lodder)
- Gareth Collins, Landscape Architect, Urban Designer | Transport for NSW - NSW Design of Roads and Streets Manual
- Jessica Farrell, Director, Future Transport Strategy and Guidance | Transport for NSW - NSW Design of Roads and Streets Manual (joint presentation with Gareth Collins)
- Trudy Angrave, Lead Engineer, Integrated Transport and Mobility | Aurecon - Assessing connectivity changes resulting from road projects
- Demi Starick, Engineer, Integrated Transport and Mobility | Aurecon - Assessing connectivity changes resulting from road projects (joint presentation with Trudy Angrave)
Emily Lodder - Director, Transport Operations | Department of Transport and Planning
Emily Lodder
Director, Transport Operations | Department of Transport and Planning
Emily Lodder is the Director, Transport Operations at the Victorian Department of Transport and Planning, responsible for the real time operation of Victoria’s arterial road network. This includes implementing measures that minimise congestion in real-time, and identifying longer term tactical solutions to improve network performance. Emily played a pivotal role in developing and now delivering the $340m first phase of the Smarter Roads programme, operationalising new resources, systems and data, and augmenting existing assets with new technology, to transform real time and tactical network management.
Emily has spent her career working in the transport sector. As well as road operations, her experience spans major road projects and Intelligent Transport Systems planning, development and delivery. She is passionate about optimising the daily journeys of road users and supporting all transport modes as a critical enabler of the wellbeing and prosperity of our community.
Smarter Roads
Smarter Roads is a $340 million investment by the Victorian State Government to reduce road delays, respond to changed traffic patterns post-Covid, and better manage road congestion in response to population growth.
With 8 in 10 road journeys taking place on arterial roads across Melbourne’s suburbs - and traffic back to 97 % of pre-pandemic levels - the program takes an intensive and holistic approach to improving connectivity across the arterial road network. Drawing on learnings from jurisdictions interstate and abroad, phase one of the program concentrates new assets and specialist personnel across all arterial roads in three metropolitan zones, covering seven councils and around 1,000 square kms. More than 1,000 traffic monitoring cameras, 400 wireless travel time sensors, 30 live travel time signs and 95 dynamic pedestrian crossings provide unprecedented situational awareness of the road network in real time.
Real time monitoring and responses to incidents are enhanced through recruitment of more specialised transport engineers, data scientists, cadet signal engineers and incident responders, and new area managers dedicated to tackling congestion. Increased visibility of the network and vastly improved quality and granularity of data enables fast tracking of a program to optimise traffic signals, bringing forward benefits such as improved travel times and fairer sharing of ‘green’ time among all transport modes and road users. Network performance indicators tracked include Travel Time Reliability – a key measure of the road network’s ‘health’.
The program demonstrates how we can improve performance on existing road networks to cope with increased demand and improve connectivity.
Over time, the benefits of each element are mutually reinforced and continue to multiply, with the capacity to improve entire networks. With phase one nearly complete, the tangible outcomes and learnings from Smarter Roads can be applied to other complex road networks.
Azadeh Emami - Signals Engineer | Department of Transport and Planning
Azadeh Emami
Signals Engineer | Department of Transport and Planning
Dr. Azadeh Emami is a signals engineer at the Department of Transport and Planning. She completed her PhD in transport engineering from the University of Melbourne in 2021, where she focused on predicting traffic demand and optimizing traffic signals in the presence of connected vehicles. Her findings were published in esteemed conference and journal papers. Dr. Emami derives satisfaction from using her expertise to help develop advanced control strategies that alleviate traffic congestion, thereby creating a more pleasant experience for the residents of Melbourne. Presently, she is involved in the signal network optimization (SNO) program at Vicroads. The objective of this program is to optimize traffic signals in Melbourne, ensuring that the transport network functions safely and efficiently.
Smarter Roads
Smarter Roads is a $340 million investment by the Victorian State Government to reduce road delays, respond to changed traffic patterns post-Covid, and better manage road congestion in response to population growth.
With 8 in 10 road journeys taking place on arterial roads across Melbourne’s suburbs - and traffic back to 97 % of pre-pandemic levels - the program takes an intensive and holistic approach to improving connectivity across the arterial road network. Drawing on learnings from jurisdictions interstate and abroad, phase one of the program concentrates new assets and specialist personnel across all arterial roads in three metropolitan zones, covering seven councils and around 1,000 square kms. More than 1,000 traffic monitoring cameras, 400 wireless travel time sensors, 30 live travel time signs and 95 dynamic pedestrian crossings provide unprecedented situational awareness of the road network in real time.
Real time monitoring and responses to incidents are enhanced through recruitment of more specialised transport engineers, data scientists, cadet signal engineers and incident responders, and new area managers dedicated to tackling congestion. Increased visibility of the network and vastly improved quality and granularity of data enables fast tracking of a program to optimise traffic signals, bringing forward benefits such as improved travel times and fairer sharing of ‘green’ time among all transport modes and road users. Network performance indicators tracked include Travel Time Reliability – a key measure of the road network’s ‘health’.
The program demonstrates how we can improve performance on existing road networks to cope with increased demand and improve connectivity.
Over time, the benefits of each element are mutually reinforced and continue to multiply, with the capacity to improve entire networks. With phase one nearly complete, the tangible outcomes and learnings from Smarter Roads can be applied to other complex road networks.
Gareth Collins - Landscape Architect, Urban Designer | Transport for NSW
Gareth Collins
Landscape Architect, Urban Designer | Transport for NSW
Gareth is a landscape architect and urban designer. He worked in private practice in the UK and in the Scottish Government before moving to Australia and joining the NSW Government Architects Office. He has worked in Transport in NSW for the last 20 years involved in many projects, including the Pacific Highway upgrades, the bus transitways, maritime projects, the Sydney motorways and many bridges around the state. Gareth is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Landscape Architects and a former NSW President. Over the years, he has produced many guidelines and urban design frameworks, including the ‘Beyond the Pavement’ urban design policy, which won the Australia Award for Urban Design.
NSW Design of Roads and Streets Manual
About 80% of roads and streets in NSW are local streets yet practitioners responsible for the planning, design and operation of these vital local assets rely on standards and guidelines intended for roads. Councils have long requested design guidance more suited for their local context and environment. Transport for New South Wales is delighted to showcase the recently released Design of Roads and Streets manual (DORAS), the first overarching practitioner resource providing advice on the most appropriate TfNSW or Austroads standard or guidance with references to relevant international guidance, the Global Street Design guides, for use in different contexts. The principles, universal design interventions, solutions and elements will appeal to professionals seeking to create successful, safe, sustainable and healthy places where the balance of movement and place is optimised.
The development of this key new resource brought together a diverse range of professional disciplines, organisations, government agencies and industry from New South Wales and neighbouring jurisdictions and we welcome and encourage the AITPM community to collaborate with us to ensure DORAS is further developed to maximise its usefulness and broaden its reach to positively improve design outcomes for local communities and business wherever they are located.
DORAS provides consolidated access to contemporary, sustainable tools and information to enable the application and delivery of safe, healthy, connected and vibrant roads and streets that serve the places and people of NSW.
Roads and streets make up the majority of the public space in NSW. Many different people frequently use them for all kinds of activities and journeys. If we can provide all our communities with safe, inviting and healthy roads and streets, we can achieve significant health, social, environmental and economic benefits.
Jessica Farrell - Director, Future Transport Strategy and Guidance | Transport for NSW
Jessica Farrell
Director, Future Transport Strategy and Guidance | Transport for NSW
Jessica is the Director, Future Transport Strategy and Guidance at Transport for NSW. She is responsible for developing the long-term vision for Transport, in collaboration with the whole Transport agency, and across Government. She also leads the development of strategic frameworks and guidance to support transport planning and its functions, such as the Integrated Transport Planning Framework and the Movement and Place Framework (which includes the Design of Roads and Streets manual). Jessica has worked in policy and strategy for over 10 years in transport with a particular interest in improving public and active transport options in cities and towns and creating better and more equitable places to live.
NSW Design of Roads and Streets Manual
About 80% of roads and streets in NSW are local streets yet practitioners responsible for the planning, design and operation of these vital local assets rely on standards and guidelines intended for roads. Councils have long requested design guidance more suited for their local context and environment. Transport for New South Wales is delighted to showcase the recently released Design of Roads and Streets manual (DORAS), the first overarching practitioner resource providing advice on the most appropriate TfNSW or Austroads standard or guidance with references to relevant international guidance, the Global Street Design guides, for use in different contexts. The principles, universal design interventions, solutions and elements will appeal to professionals seeking to create successful, safe, sustainable and healthy places where the balance of movement and place is optimised.
The development of this key new resource brought together a diverse range of professional disciplines, organisations, government agencies and industry from New South Wales and neighbouring jurisdictions and we welcome and encourage the AITPM community to collaborate with us to ensure DORAS is further developed to maximise its usefulness and broaden its reach to positively improve design outcomes for local communities and business wherever they are located.
DORAS provides consolidated access to contemporary, sustainable tools and information to enable the application and delivery of safe, healthy, connected and vibrant roads and streets that serve the places and people of NSW.
Roads and streets make up the majority of the public space in NSW. Many different people frequently use them for all kinds of activities and journeys. If we can provide all our communities with safe, inviting and healthy roads and streets, we can achieve significant health, social, environmental and economic benefits.
Trudy Angrave - Lead Engineer, Integrated Transport and Mobility | Aurecon
Trudy Angrave
Lead Engineer, Integrated Transport and Mobility | Aurecon
Trudy Angrave is a Lead Transport Engineer within the Integrated Transport and Mobility Team at Aurecon. She has over 19 years of experience in traffic engineering and transport planning in local government and consulting. Trudy is passionate about road safety, accessibility, gender equity in road environments and sustainable transport. Having spent 8.5 years working for a Capital City Council, she has considerable experience in planning and designing for the (often) competing needs of multiple user groups within the transport network in a collaborative and often innovative way.
Assessing connectivity changes resulting from road projects
When road upgrades increase connectivity and convenience for motorised traffic on our road networks, they frequently decrease local area connectivity and comfort for people walking, cycling and accessing public transport by creating barriers. The creation of these barriers to connectivity, or severance, impact in multiple ways upon local and broader communities. The effects of severance are well-researched. However, little guidance is available to identify and assess these impacts.
Pedestrians and cyclists are disproportionately affected by the impacts of climate change. As the impacts of climate change become more prevalent, severance caused by road projects will become an increasingly important consideration. Key considerations include sun exposure and heat island impacts, wind exposure and increased rainfall/flooding events.
The importance of and key considerations for comfort and accessibility for pedestrians with a range of different needs is highlighted, as well as personal safety and gender equity.
A framework for identifying and assessing severance is proposed.
Consultation with affected communities and stakeholders helps to improve understanding of existing conditions and key risks within a local context.
Comparative severance can be useful for options assessment as well as comparing existing versus future conditions. A rating system based on a mix of quantitative and qualitative KPIs is proposed.
Demi Starick - Engineer, Integrated Transport and Mobility | Aurecon
Demi Starick
Engineer, Integrated Transport and Mobility | Aurecon
Demi is an Engineer within the Integrated Transport and Mobility team at Aurecon for three years. Her background in both engineering and planning has enabled her to contribute to a variety of transport projects, with involvement in strategy, policy, planning, concept design, and detailed design. She has a keen passion for sustainable future transport.
Assessing connectivity changes resulting from road projects
When road upgrades increase connectivity and convenience for motorised traffic on our road networks, they frequently decrease local area connectivity and comfort for people walking, cycling and accessing public transport by creating barriers. The creation of these barriers to connectivity, or severance, impact in multiple ways upon local and broader communities. The effects of severance are well-researched. However, little guidance is available to identify and assess these impacts.
Pedestrians and cyclists are disproportionately affected by the impacts of climate change. As the impacts of climate change become more prevalent, severance caused by road projects will become an increasingly important consideration. Key considerations include sun exposure and heat island impacts, wind exposure and increased rainfall/flooding events.
The importance of and key considerations for comfort and accessibility for pedestrians with a range of different needs is highlighted, as well as personal safety and gender equity.
A framework for identifying and assessing severance is proposed.
Consultation with affected communities and stakeholders helps to improve understanding of existing conditions and key risks within a local context.
Comparative severance can be useful for options assessment as well as comparing existing versus future conditions. A rating system based on a mix of quantitative and qualitative KPIs is proposed.
