Update I Enhanced Corridor Access Requests
There are over 1,500 Temporary Traffic Management Plans (TTMP) active on any given weekday in Auckland. The city is experiencing rapid growth in urban development and infrastructure upgrades which means projects, developers and utility providers require more frequent and more significant access to road corridors.
Auckland Transport aims to support this growth by enabling such access. However, finding the balance is not always achieved, there are concerns that the excessively cautious safety measures around roadwork sites are not effective resulting in a negative customer experience in various travel modes across the region. With the new risk-based approach, the New Zealand Guide to Temporary Traffic Management (NZGTTM) replacing the Code of Practice for Temporary Traffic Management (CoPTTM) allows the industry to deliver a better approach to the design and implementation of Traffic Management on our network. The key change is a move away from a prescriptive set of rules to a more flexible set of guidelines that emphasises planning for and managing risks.
As part of the TTM Transformation programme, we have developed an initiative that aims to give the Road Controlling Authority (RCA) the power to assess and evaluate corridor access requests (CARs) and influence the site-specific TTM plans. The primary objective is to minimise the disruption and cost (where possible) over worksites that have a high potential for network disruption, without compromising on safety.
The ‘Enhanced CAR Application Reviews’ has clearly defined objectives:
- Meaningfully challenge the corridor access request application.
- Surface the science in the process and remove individual risk bias.
- Make the process transparent to develop stakeholder trust in the outcomes.
- Balance Cost, Disruption, and Risk whilst preparing and assessing TMP proposals.
- Empower the contractors and contracting PCBU (Person Conducting Business or undertaking) to be able to put their best foot forward when applying for corridor access requests.
- Back our SMEs (Subject Matter Experts) when difficult decisions need to be made based on supporting evidence.
A lot of progress has been made since the project started in September 2023. We have outlined and are trialing the new corridor application assessment process framework and have completed consultation with leading industry partners.
Disruptions Assessment Tool (DAT +)
We have developed an assessment tool that enables the contractors to self-assess the impact of a proposed work site and give AT the ability to identify highly disruptive worksites. A pilot to prove the concept was launched in mid-December. Three pilot contractors, Fulton Hogan, Downer, and Liveable Street are taking part in the pilot.
Network Access Coordination Forum (NAC)
The Interim Network Access Coordination (NAC) forum has been launched, and its objective is to review potentially disruptive projects (identified through DAT+) on the network and provide balanced approvals. This forum brings subject matter experts (SMEs) from all the operational teams together with a chair who has the authority to make the final call.
All in all, we are looking in very good shape to be able to bring about much-needed clarity in the process and hopefully a reprieve in the TMP cost and disruptions. With this work completed, we will be in a very good position to switch our corridor access processes based on the NZ Guide to Temporary Traffic Management (NZGTTM) which has been released by NZTA Waka Kotahi to replace CoPTTM.
Watch this space for further updates and finding from the trial.
