Creating a safe system compliant highway network: the challenges of implementing a safe system approach, through the Safer Journeys initiative, in New Zealand

The Safer Journey initiative was adopted by New Zealand in 2011 and the first action plan launched. The challenge for road corridor designers is to translate the principles associated with this initiative into tangible features of that corridor that identifiably contribute to reductions in fatal and serious injuries. Although New Zealand is an active member of the Austroads consortium and the Austroads Guides are our primary source of guidance, there is a strong desire to put guidelines into place that would result in the safe system desired outcomes sooner than would be addressed by the revisions to the Austroads Guides. An immediate concern was the accelerated programme for the Roads of National Significance; a series of corridors around the country that are of strategic importance. It is critical that these roads are constructed and operated to the latest expected levels of safety. Subsequently, the principles are being adapted to be applied to the rural, single lane and often highly constrained contexts. The technical memorandum used to deliver this advice includes a detailed, ‘whole-of-life’ benefit assessment as well as background information that helps the designer assess the most appropriate treatments bearing in mind the safety problem that is being addressed. This paper will detail and discuss the engineering rationale applied and the challenge of translating the safe system principles into such road corridor features and feedback the level of implementation achieved so far.

• Record URL:
  http://conf.hardingconsultants.co.nz/ipenztg2015/presenters/
• Authors:
  • Hughes, J R
• Conference:
  • Institution of Professional Engineers New Zealand (IPENZ) Transportation Conference, 2015, Christchurch, New Zealand
• Publication Date: 2015-3

Language

• English

Media Info

• Pagination: 18p
• Monograph Title: World class transport: smarter, stronger, safer: IPENZ Transportation Group Conference, Christchurch, 22-24 March 2015

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Benefit cost analysis; Highway design; Highway maintenance; Highway safety; Improvements; Policy; Safety; Types of roads by network
• Uncontrolled Terms: Road networks; Safe systems (roads)
• Geographic Terms: New Zealand
• ATRI Terms: Cost benefit analysis; Policy; Road improvement; Road network; Road safety
• Subject Areas: Highways; Policy; Safety and Human Factors; I82: Accidents and Transport Infrastructure;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01566608
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: ARRB
• Files: ITRD, ATRI
• Created Date: Jun 18 2015 11:00AM