The Newell Highway will join a number of roads across regional NSW to test out a new program of low-cost technology to prompt safer driver behaviour on roads in 2025.
The $5 million Smarter Highways program will harness emerging and existing technologies in innovative ways to address driver behavioural issues that can lead to crashes. The aim is to improve journey management, especially when a major disruption occurs.
“I’m glad that the Smarter Highway technologies will be trialled in the regions because outside of the cities, driving is often the only available form of transport and sometimes there are no alternative routes, so we need to make those journeys safer.” said Minister for Regional Transport and Roads Jenny Aitchison.
“Key to these innovations is improving safety for road crews by reducing the risks of carrying out works near traffic. The aim is to minimise the amount of time work crews have to spend in live traffic environments by increasing the use remotely controlled traffic operations, which creates a safer work environment.”
Each trial will feature technology that detects an issue on the network causing systems to be activated to warn drivers about hazards and, if possible, provide alternative options.
Most of the trial technologies are wireless solar-powered systems that can be installed relatively cheaply and are also tailored to suit individual sites, taking into account the environment and conditions of the road.
Smarter Highways is part of a suite of measures to improve road safety but also aims to use technology to help create a safer work environment for road crews, traffic managers and emergency workers by reducing the amount of time they are exposed to live traffic.
Transport for NSW will trial the technologies on state managed highways but also consider how they could be adapted for use on local roads, in partnership with councils.
The Trials
There are five trials to take part, with the Newell Highway marked to join the Permanent traffic counters – Road Pod Vehicle Magnetometer trial.
Permanent traffic counters – Road Pod Vehicle Magnetometer (VM)
- A new form of permanent traffic counter device installed on the road which can detect and provide information on vehicle volumes, classifications, speeds, headways, road temperatures and system health in real time.
- A very low-cost 4G technology system that is powered by solar-panels and offers significant cost and time savings compared to ad-hoc traffic surveys. It is also easy to install and takes less than an hour to set up.
- Allows live monitoring of traffic in various scenarios but will be especially beneficial particularly during the start and end of holidays, during harvest sessions, and situations where monitoring seasonal variations and natural disaster periods is critical.
- Importantly, data collected will be provided via NSW Traffic Viewer.
- Can be deployed relatively quickly when a part of the network is likely to face disruption to help monitor and address impacts. For example, key routes that connect ports to renewable energy zones.
- Trial locations – Great Western Highway, Kelso and Newell Highway, Dubbo.
The other trials are Smarter Highway Activated Vehicle and Environmental Systems (SHAVES), Rural Intersection Activated Warning System (RIAWS), Improving local area traffic management during major disruptions and Permanent Congestion Management.
Trial locations are still be determined.
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