Main Roads is changing its focus from road building to network managing
Main Roads is currently undertaking a major review of its organisational capacity to manage traffic congestion and is working with DoT to implement a more integrated transport strategy and planning framework.
It has developed a four-point plan to change its approach to managing its network, including dealing with congestion. The main points are to:
- get the right people in place
- measure performance and set targets
- optimise the performance of the arterial and freeway networks
- select the right projects.
While this program of action is in its early phase, Main Roads has made significant progress already. The expected changes should allow Main Roads to more successfully manage congestion as part of its many priorities and responsibilities.
Main Roads has already appointed new senior staff to newly created roles to shape its transition. It has appointed a new Director Network Operations who was previously responsible for network performance in London. A Congestion Programme Director has been recruited specifically to develop a dedicated funding stream for a five-year congestion program.
Main Roads aims to better measure network performance and set operational targets, develop information technology systems and upskill staff. A Capability Development and Change Manager, appointed in late 2014, will oversee this. In practice, it plans to deliver this by splitting its service into three metropolitan areas (North, South and CBD) and establish Corridor Performance Managers within those regions. These managers will be supported by:
- an expanded signal timing review program and optimisation capability development
- the new STREAMS system which is set to go live in mid-2015
- an operational modelling and traffic analysis centre for cause-effect analysis, performance reporting and optimisation support. This would allow current performance to be reported more often, both against predetermined targets for each corridor, regions, and the whole network
- a common operating picture across the business through spatial and temporal geographic information system based tools.
When Main Roads completes these changes, its organisational capacity will be more consistent with what is regarded in other jurisdictions as better practice.
New data collection and analysis will improve understanding
Main Roads is improving how it produces information by reviewing its entire data collection and analysis structure. As part of this process, it will determine if it needs to generate or collect new types of data, how best to enhance the business intelligence these sources provide, and the best way to include its whole network.
As part of this review, Main Roads is assessing the benefits and possibilities of accessing more GPS information, enhancing its VDS system, and the role of surveys and other manual systems. It is also reviewing options for other types of information collection, such as automatic number plate recognition technology or Bluetooth collection of mobile device GPS data. However, these may need legislative change.
In 2014-15, Main Roads made an unsuccessful budget submission for $56 million to build on the VDS system to introduce a managed freeway approach. It plans to apply again for funding in 2015-16.
The new change management plan has set a mid-2015 date for determining overall congestion performance measures – trip reliability being the leading contender. It also expects to deliver monthly performance reporting to senior management.
There is a three-year plan to review and update the use of SCATS data across the metropolitan area, towards integrating and optimising the impact of these signals. The 2014-15 plan involves assessing 93 sets of signals, increasing to 400 by 2016-17. Main Roads also has plans for more road capacity increases on the freeway network, as well as new approaches to traffic management.
Main Roads has acknowledged the need to improve how it coordinates its assessment and prioritisation of projects. While it will continue to check return on investment for projects, it will also need to assess wider impacts on corridor and network performance. This will increase the information provided to other stakeholders in the transport area.
Transitioning from an agency that builds roads and manages assets to an integrated network manager responsible for traffic flow across the whole network will be a difficult and potentially costly journey. However, it is needed so that Main Roads can optimise the performance of the road network and effectively address traffic congestion within the Perth metropolitan area.