Lifelines are freight routes that have high value to the communities and regions they support but do not deliver positive outcomes in conventional cost-benefit analysis assessments due to relatively low traffic levels.
This tool is designed to help road managers (and other road funders) consider and prioritise lifeline routes when making road investment decisions. This is part of a broader cross-government effort to identify and mitigate risks for freight supply chains, particularly in the wake of recent COVID-19 and weather-related disruption and upheaval.
Download the user instructions [PDF]
Watch a webinar presented by Ben Mason, Dr Stacy Rendall and Valentin Perez, describing the process undertaken to update the tool and a practical run through of how the web-based Lifeline Risk Indicator Tool can be used.
The tool produces three key outputs:
- Lifeline route identification ranks routes based on the lifeline route identification assessment. This allows road managers to establish a lifeline route network.
- Risk change ranking ranks routes based on the change in risk score following an investment. This allows a road manager to identify the routes where risks can be effectively reduced.
- Non-CBA investment ranking ranks routes where an alternative approach to justifying investment is taken. This ranking is based on a high-level assessment of the economic and social contribution of the routes.
The development of the tool is documented in the research report Opportunities to Increase Freight and Supply Chain Resilience.
Computer requirements
- A modern web browser (such as Microsoft Edge, Google Chrome, Firefox or Safari) is recommended.
- Monitor resolution should be set to 1366x768 or higher.
- JavaScript must be enabled in web browser settings (it is enabled by default in all web browsers but may be disabled through settings or if certain extensions are installed, such as NoScript).