Roads Australia
The national Christmas road toll – and the response to it - was predictably the top road news story of the past fortnight.
The Australian newspaper reported the Christmas–New Year toll as 44 – the second lowest in a decade. This compared with 62 last year and 78 the previous year, it said.
The Australian said Victoria recorded the highest number of fatalities (16), followed by WA (11), NSW (7), Qld (4), SA and ACT (2 each) and NT and ACT (one each).
A report in the Sunday Age, citing an RACV submission, suggested a limit on the number of passengers allowed to travel in P-plate vehicles was on Victoria’s road safety agenda. The Herald Sun reported Police Commissioner Christine Nixon as also saying the suggestion was worthy of consideration - although a subsequent Age report denied the Government was considering such a move.
The Herald Sun also reported that the State Government was considering the use of satellite-activated speed-limiting devices in cars in a further bid to cut the road toll. The report said the Brumby Government had been talking to other state governments and the NZ Government about the technology, and was set to commence trials soon. NSW and WA were also believed to be planning trials, the newspaper said.
In the Age, Professor Brian Fildes from Monash University's Accident Research Centre was reported as saying the state’s road toll could be cut by a further seven percent by dropping the speed limit in urban areas to as low as 30kmh.
The Courier Mail reported that road accidents involving fatalities and injuries cost Queensland more than $3.5 billion in 2007 – equal to $833 for each Queenslander.
In other news, both the SMH and the Age gave extensive coverage to comments by General Motors US boss, Rick Wagoner, who claimed global oil supply had peaked, sounding the death knell for the petrol car and the inevitable rise of the electric car.
Notwithstanding, most media outlets also reported this week that Australia's love affair with the car was as strong as ever, with 12-month new vehicle sales passing the one million mark for the first time ever.
Today’s SMH reported that the RTA and other government agencies were in favour of introducing a levy to manage road congestion in and out of Port Botany. The report said the proposal involved users ‘bidding’ for access to the Port at peak times of the day.
And in Brisbane, the Courier Mail has reported that the Inner Northern Busway is on track for completion in May - six months ahead of schedule.
Work on the $45 million upgrade of the Nerang South (Nielsens Road) interchange on the Gold Coast will start next month, marking the first major step in the upgrade of the Pacific Motorway between Nerang and Tugun.
Qld Main Roads Minister Warren Pitt this week announced the awarding of a construction contract to Seymour White Constructions.
Mr Pitt said the Nerang South upgrade would include the replacement of two roundabouts with synchronised traffic lights and the widening of the current bridge over the motorway.
“The start of work at Nerang South will be a major milestone in the eventual upgrade of 23km of the M1 from Nerang and Tugun,” he said.
Mr Pitt also announced this month that Townsville’s Port Access Road had moved a step closer to realisation, with QMR currently reviewing tenders for the full design and construction.
The Port Access Road will be built as a two-lane highway initially, including a rail overpass as part of the Stuart Bypass and bridges over Sandfly Creek and Ross River.
Tenders for the full design and construction of the project closed last month.
Adelaide’s $41million Bakewell Underpass was officially opened this week by SA Premier Mike Rann and Transport Minister Patrick Conlon.
Completed on time and on budget, the Bakewell Underpass features:
Premier Rann said that beyond its strategic transport benefits, the Bakewell Underpass dramatically improved the look and feel of one of the major thoroughfares for tourists arriving at the Adelaide Airport.
Meantime, construction of South Australia’s largest road project in almost 50 years has started with work underway on Port Wakefield Road.
Anthony Albanese, Federal Minister for Infrastructure, Regional Development and Local Government, and State Transport Minister Patrick Conlon announced this month the first $30 million upgrade contract for a 12 km section of Port Wakefield Road of the Northern Expressway had been won by the BMD–e*3 consortium.
The announcement signals the start of a $564 million project involving an extension of the Sturt Highway and greater traffic capacity for Port Wakefield Road to provide freeway conditions from beyond Gawler to the start of the Port River Expressway, now nearing completion.
ARF member the Australian Automobile Association (AAA) has called on governments to make Australian roads safer and lower the 2007 national fatality rate of 1,611 deaths.
AAA Research Manager, Greg Smith, said it was deeply regrettable that Australia had taken a backward step in 2007, with more people being killed than the previous year (1,598 fatalities).
"It is time for action to ensure better and safer road design – particularly protecting motorists from roadside hazards such as poles and trees, and to avoid head-on crashes, by installing wire rope barriers," Mr Smith said.
"1,611 people died on Australian roads in 2007 and thousands more were admitted to hospital with serious injuries, at an estimated cost to the Australian economy of $17 billion per year.
"Roadside hazards accounted for around 40% of those deaths.”
Mr Smith said that, while the Federal Government had committed billions to road infrastructure in the lead up to the 2007 Federal election, there was now a real need to ensure it was invested in better designed roads that protected Australian motorists and their families.
AAA has previously called for $25 billion to be invested in AusLink II.
The Queensland Government has awarded a contract for the construction of the duplication of Redcliffe’s landmark Houghton Highway bridge, meaning work is likely to start within the next month.
Main Roads Minister Warren Pitt said the Hull-Albern Joint Venture had been chosen to build the $315 million project, which would involve the construction of the first coastal bridge in Australia capable of withstanding a one-in-2000-year storm event.
Changes to the original specifications of the bridge duplication resulted in an Australia-first design protecting the bridge against the threat of climate change and associated extreme weather events.
Work is expected to start in late January or early February, weather permitting, and completed by the end of the 2009-10 financial year.
The upgrade of the existing Houghton Highway will take place after the new bridge opens, with all work to be completed by the end of the 2010-11 financial year.
The Victorian Government has unveiled the route for the future Princes Highway East–Traralgon Bypass.
The Government’s preferred route for the section of the Traralgon Bypass, west of Traralgon Creek Road (VicRoads’ option W1C), is close to the existing highway between Morwell and Traralgon.
The route was recommended by the Traralgon Bypass Supplementary Inquiry Advisory Committee, which conducted public hearings into the four options proposed for this project.
Work on constructing the Traralgon Bypass is expected to commence in around 20 years.
The Advisory Committee’s report is available at the Department of Planning and Community Development website www.dpcd.vic.gov.au
Nominations are now being called for the 2008 John Shaw Medal, recognising an outstanding contribution by an individual to Australia's road transport sector.
The Medal, which honours the memory of former NSW Department of Main Roads Commissioner and IRF Man of the Year, John Shaw, is judged and awarded by a panel of former recipients.
Last year's winner was His Excellency Dr Ken Michael AC, Governor of Western Australia, a former Commissioner of Main Roads for WA.
For further information on the Award, including the selection criteria and a list of past recipients, see the John Shaw Medal page on the ARF website or contact ARF Chief Executive, Ian Webb.
Nominations for this year's award close on March 30.
The Australian Logistics Council’s Annual Forum takes place in Canberra next month.
The Forum is being held on Thursday 14 February at the Australian War Memorial and Friday 15 February at the new Hotel Realm.
Speakers include Michael Luscombe, Chief Executive Officer of Woolworths Limited; Mark Rowsthorn, Managing Director of Asciano Limited; Major General Grant Cavenagh AM, Commander Joint Logistics, ADF; and Grant Fenn, Executive General Manager Freight Enterprises, Qantas Airways Limited.
Logistics users and providers, peak bodies, freight councils, government regulators and academics are all expected to provide input to the Forum.
For more information email ALCForum@austlogistics.com.au or visit the website, www.austlogistics.com.au
Submitted by Mark Bowmer on Friday January 18th 2008 12:18pm
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