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The Australian: Hi-tech traffic signals to ease major roads congestion
Congestion on major roads could be eased through the greater use of technology to improve the flow of vehicles by tracking cars and matching traffic signals under plans to be considered by the Turnbull government.
In a move that could avoid the need for multi-million-dollar road expansions, new Territories, Local Government and Major Projects Minister Paul Fletcher said in some cases only 20 per cent of the surface area of a road was covered by vehicles and he would examine using technology to make better use of existing roads.
Mr Fletcher, a former senior executive at Optus with extensive experience in the communications sector, said early indications were that investing in technology could produce good economic returns.
“If you have got a choice between allocating capital to building a new road or building new lanes or allocating capital to information technology that allows an existing road to be used more efficiently, then it’s worth understanding what the choice is and seeing whether you can get a benefit from the investment in the technology,’’ Mr Fletcher told The Australian.
He said “depending on which expert you speak to’’, only about 20 per cent of a surface area of a road was typically covered by vehicles, leaving room to increase the number of cars that could use it by improving traffic flows. Under the approach, traffic signals on entry roads to major arterials would be co-ordinated to maximise the flow. Another approach included increasing smart signs on roads to increase the information flow to motorists.
Mr Fletcher said he would seek early advice from his department about what work had been done on this issue here.
Mr Fletcher will be working closely with state and local governments to deliver major infrastructure projects as part of Malcolm Turnbull’s bid to make cities more liveable.
He will oversee the massive road-building program backed by the Abbott government, which includes the WestConnex, NorthConnex and the western Sydney roads program in Sydney, the Pacific Highway upgrade, the Bruce Highway upgrade, the North South road corridor in Adelaide and the NorthLink and Perth freight link project in Western Australia.
Mr Fletcher is also open to talks with the Victorian government on the impasse over the cancellation of the East West link project by the Andrews government.
The Abbott government earmarked $1.5 billion towards East West link in line with an election promise.
“There is money should a Victorian government wish to build an East West link but that being said, yes, I will certainly be having discussions with the Victoria government,’’ Mr Fletcher said.
“The Victorian government, for example, has indicated that they have got a number of projects they are interested in, including the Western Distributor. They would need to put forward a business case to Infrastructure Australia,’’
Mr Fletcher, who is keen to attract as much private sector investment as possible into infrastructure projects, will also talk to superannuation funds about attracting more investment.
He said infrastructure investment was attractive to super funds because the projects attracted a long-term rate of return that was a hedge against inflation.
