Engineering Solutions

Engineering projects are positive contributors to road safety and are supported at a Federal and  ACT Government level.

• Federal Black Spot Program  

The Nation Building Black Spot Program is part of the Federal Governments' commitment to reduce crashes on Australian roads.

The following text is an extract from that site:

“Road crashes are a major cost to Australians every year. Black Spot projects target those road locations where crashes are occurring. By funding measures such as traffic signals and roundabouts at dangerous locations, the program reduces the risk of crashes. Programs of this sort are very effective, saving the community many times the cost of the relatively minor road improvements that are implemented.
The Black Spot Program makes an important contribution in reducing the national road toll under the National Road Safety Strategy and Action Plan.”

While the ACT Road Safety Improvements Program considers treatments at the locations with a high potential for casualty crashes, the Federal Government sponsors a road safety program to treat spots only with a proven history of casualty crashes.
The minimum eligibility criterion is a history of at least three (3) casualty crashes in the most recent  five-year period, etc. (Road Safety Black Spot Program; Notes on Administration).

Project proposals must also be able to demonstrate a benefit to cost ratio of at least 2.

Click on the title link above to visit the AusLink Black Spot Program information page.

• ACT Government Black Spot Program  
  The ACT Government maintains its own black spot program which is informed by the analysis of the crash data reports for the ACT.

The procedures for identifying black spots are detailed in the document ‘ACT Road Safety Improvement Guidelines, January 1995’ and the most up-to-date list of sites currently considered for improvements is detailed in the ‘Intersection and midblock crash ranking report 2007’. Both documents are published by Roads ACT of the ACT Department of Territory and Municipal Services.

Black spot locations are identified based on crash frequencies and severity (weighting) of accident-types with a high potential for casualty. The moving trends of the top 300 intersections and 150 mid-block locations are continuously monitored over both seven and two year periods.

Sites where improvements have been implemented in the previous three years are omitted from the list and targeted for ‘Before’ and ‘After’ evaluation studies. Remaining sites are identified for improvements and are included on future Capital Works Programs after detailed studies of traffic conditions and economic evaluation of treatment options.

• Road Safety Audits These are performed by qualified Roads ACT personnel or approved contractors. The ACT process is currently under development and once completed will allow for a systematic program of Road Safety Audits based on levels of risk associated with specific sections of roads and intersections.
  Road Safety Audits involve the evaluation of a length of road with respect to such elements as alignment, surface condition, drainage, traffic volume and frequency, and may include a night audit if required. 

• Minor New Works and Low Cost Treatments
  
  These are engineering works which are made in response to internal investigations or requests from the public. Crash data, speed measurements and volume data are used to inform the design of the works or “treatment”.

Minor new works are intended to improve safety and amenity. Examples of these works could include road markings, sign replacement or the construction of a pedestrian refuge.

• Capital Upgrades
  Capital Upgrades are larger engineering works which typically improve existing infrastructure and are of a substantial and significant nature.
  Examples include:
• • Traffic Signals
  • Bridge Strengthening, or fencing
  • Cycle facilities
  • Residential Street improvements