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Michael McCarthy, Project Director, Western Highway Project, VicRoads delivered the presentation at the 2014 Major Road Projects Conference. The Major Road Projects Conference brings together government officials with those responsible for the planning, financing and construction of Australia’s critical road infrastructure to discuss future plans. It offers a practical assessment of the strategy necessary to ensure Australia’s current and future major roads projects are successful. For more information about the event, please visit: http://www.informa.com.au/roadprojectsconference
Citation preview
Western Highway Project Ballarat to Stawell
Michael McCarthy
Project Director
March 2014
Project background
Project drivers - the need for the Project
The Project
– Planning process and lessons
– Community involvement and challenges
– Delivery strategy and works to date
– Future works
Questions
What I will cover…..
Project Background
Western Highway (A8) connects Melbourne and Adelaide
Major freight route that has seen a series of projects which recognises the growth in the corridor and the growth in importance of the route.
– Deer Park Bypass ($333 million TEC)
– Anthony’s Cutting Project (between Melton and Bacchus Marsh) ($200 million TEC)
– Stawell to SA Border safety improvements ($50M)
Project Background
Growth in traffic volumes
– Currently 5,500 per day with nearly 30% CV’s
– Expected to double by 2025
Road safety in the 5 years to June 2013
– 7 fatalities
– 80 casualty crashes
Freight
– Busiest unduplicated national highway link in Australia in terms of interstate freight movements
– 75% non bulk freight which is suited to road transport
Local communities
– Connectivity, transport efficiency, economic sustainability
Emergency management
– Access and detours
Project drivers – the need
$505M committed in 2008 budget
80% Federal Government Funding 20% Victorian State Government Funding
Undertake planning from Ballarat to Stawell (excluding town bypasses of Beaufort and Ararat)
Duplicate as much as possible
Total cost in the order of $1 billion
The Project
Provide safer conditions for road users by:
– Reducing the incidence of head-on and run-off road crashes
– Improving safety at intersections
– Improving safety of access to adjoining properties
– December 2013 – two killed
Ballarat to Stawell Project Objectives
Ballarat to Stawell Project Objectives
Improve the efficiency of freight by designing for High Producitivity Freight Vehicles
Provide adequate and improved rest areas
To locate the alignment to allow for possible future bypasses of Beaufort and Ararat
Corridor of 100km – multiple and varied impacts
– Social
– Cultural heritage
– Flora
– Fauna
– Geotechnical
– Land use
Scale escalated significance in terms of impact
Planning processes
Planning processes
Approval to undertake in sections
– Process considered impact and multiple concurrent processes spread risk
Bigger isn’t necessarily better
Just-in-time planning
Risk based decision making
– Speed vs Perfection
Expectations
– Level of detail at planning stage
– Level of certainty at the conclusion of planning stage
Understand constraints – real vs implied
Planning lessons
Mortuary trees
Inspections of hollows
Planning Lessons
Consultant working “with” you rather than “for” you
Engagement
– Community
– Technical Reference Group – helping to overcome the “assumption of knowledge”
Early and open – ask don’t tell
Options assessment – managing the messages
Managing expectations in relation to timeframes
Owning the consultation and the outcomes – who leads and is the face of the consultation?
Building trust for positive long lasting relationships
Community involvement and challenges
What has been important?
– Engineering aspects
– Community expectations including landowners needs
– Government expectations
Flexible and adaptable
High Value High Risk process
Delivery Strategy and Works to Date
Ballarat to Burummbeet – complete
Burrumbeet to Beaufort – under construction
Beaufort to Buangor – tenders closed
Buangor Bypass – existing funding
Buangor to Ararat – currently unfunded
Ararat to Stawell – currently unfunded
Milestones to date and Future Works
QUESTIONS