Wednesday, 25 February 2026
Austroads has released an updated edition of its Guide to Traffic Management Part 2: Traffic Theory Concepts, strengthening the technical foundation available to practitioners working in traffic engineering.
“Traffic theory sits behind every capacity assessment, intersection analysis and operational decision practitioners make,” said Amy Naulls, Networks Program Manager. “This Guide brings that theory together in a way that supports consistent application across jurisdictions and gives practitioners confidence in the assumptions they rely on.”
Part 2 is one of 13 guides in the Guide to Traffic Management series. It provides the theoretical background needed to understand traffic behaviour and carry out the analyses that support effective traffic management plans and road design proposals.
The latest update includes a significant revision to the section on gap acceptance, ensuring practitioners have access to contemporary and rigorous analytical methods.
This edition also improves the documentation of gap‑acceptance analyses, adopts the Cowan headway distribution to provide more robust modelling, and updates references to align with contemporary guidelines.
“The revisions reflect how traffic analysis is being undertaken today,” said Amy. “Clearer guidance supports more transparent analysis and stronger alignment between technical work and decision‑making.”
Together, these enhancements ensure the Guide remains an authoritative and practical resource for engineers and planners responsible for designing safe, efficient and reliable transport networks across Australia and New Zealand.
Download the revised Guide to Traffic Management Part 2: Traffic Theory Concepts.