Roman Zeitz

Management of beach traffic

Roman Zeitz

Management of beach traffic

Management of beach traffic

Speed restrictions, laws, signing and othermanagement options

Presented by Roman Zeitz, Traffic EngineerTransport Services Division, Walkerville

Ph: 8343 2891 email: roman.zeitz@saugov.sa.gov.au

Roman Zeitz

Management of beach traffic

Presentation overview

• What is a beach from a traffic perspective

• Why manage speeds

• What speed limits apply

• Speed limit signing

• The process to change a speed limit

• Other traffic management

Roman Zeitz

Management of beach traffic

What is a beach from a traffic perspective

• Road-related area under Australian Road Rules

• Simplistically, a beach is a road

• Same laws apply like other roads

• Drivers must obey rules and signs

• An authority has care, control or management of the beach

• Beaches often have multiple authorities

Roman Zeitz

Management of beach traffic

• Not all speeds need to be controlled

• Improve safety

• Manage mobility and amenity

• Beaches are used by different users

• Surface conditions are variable

• Benefits the environment

Why manage speeds

Roman Zeitz

Management of beach traffic

What speed limits apply

• Default limit for most beaches is 100 km/h since few have adjacent buildings

• Signs used to vary the speed limit

• Speed limit ends when another one applies or the beach ends

• Determining & operating a suitable speed limit is complex • Changeable surface; hidden hazards, soft sand, washouts• Concentrated vs sparse numbers of pedestrians• Town vs isolated beaches

Roman Zeitz

Management of beach traffic

What speed limits may apply continued

• Drivers and pedestrians to be considerate

• Drive to the conditions

• Australian Standard: no signposted speed limits for beaches• Signing the default 50 km/h and less than 50 km/h is permitted

• Beach cannot be rigorously assessed

• Variable and unpredictable surface

Roman Zeitz

Management of beach traffic

What speed limits may apply continued

• Speed Limits on Beaches guideline recommends:• High pedestrian areas: 20 km/h

• Beach within town boundary: 50 km/h

• Other sections of beaches: rural default of 100 km/h

• Speed limits to complement an Authority’s beach management plan

Roman Zeitz

Management of beach traffic

Speed limit signing

• Usual speed limit sign at beach entrance

• End Speed Limit sign denotes the default limit of 100 km/h• Promotes caution

• Drive to the conditions

• Problems with placing signs on beach

ON BEACH

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Roman Zeitz

Management of beach traffic

Speed limit signing continued

Roman Zeitz

Management of beach traffic

Speed limit signing continued

Roman Zeitz

Management of beach traffic

The process to change the speed limit

• Same as for other roads

• Road authority for the beach• Instigates and assesses the proposal

• Submits application to Transport Services’ regional office

• Reviewed by Traffic and Access Standards Section

• Manager can approve

• Installing unapproved sign is an offence: $5,000 or 1 year prison

• Driver must obey sign

Roman Zeitz

Management of beach traffic

Other traffic management

• Limited choices

• Define areas for through traffic and parking

• Use permits with signed agreement to the conditions of use

• Review the number of entrances to beach

Roman Zeitz

Management of beach traffic

Thank you