In the CBD, this becomes critical given the potential for high numbers of pedestrians and cyclists traversing the streets, including many that may not be familiar with the locality, and are potentially alcohol affected or distracted. It is important for the traffic management to not only comply with the Australian Standards requirements, but also be practical and workable within the local context.
I have seen a couple of examples recently, where the signage provided was consistent with that required by the Australian Standards, however the approach used was not practical for the given location. In the example below, the sign is located past a sweeping bend and pedestrians would not be in a position to be aware of the upcoming footpath closure, and likely wouldn’t walk back 150 metres uphill to utilise the closest pedestrian crossing.
The scheme above created significant risks for pedestrians as they were required to cross the road midblock away from a controlled crossing or alternatively walk along the adjacent bike path. Mobility impaired pedestrians would have further difficulties as the kerb would prevent crossing the road.
With simple planning and input from a Traffic Engineering professional, many of these risks could have been mitigated with the preparation of a Traffic Management Plan to consider alternative traffic control that would be more suitable to control the site specific risks and provide a safer arrangement for pedestrians.
There are numerous options for providing a safer road environment. The preferred treatment would be to stage the construction works and allow for sufficient space for pedestrians past the worksite. While this would result in increased construction times, the risk to pedestrians would be significantly reduced.
Another option would be to provide advanced warning signs at the signalised intersection warning pedestrians of the upcoming footpath closure. An advanced warning sign was provided at a later date, however it was only one sign that was easily missed by pedestrians.
Amber Organisation have a team of professionals with extensive experience in the preparation of Construction Traffic Management Plans that are eager to provide assistance on projects both large and small. Please feel free to contact our team and we’d be happy to provide you with advice.
