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Network Operations Planning Library

Hamilton – Network Operating Plan

Overview

A Network Operating Plan (NOP) was developed for the City of Hamilton. It was made up of four quadrants and two zones as shown below.

Hamilton City NOP Quadrants and Zones

Source: Hamilton City Network Operating Plan, Hamilton City Council, Waikato District Council and NZTA, April 2017

The aim of the NOP was to integrate planning and investment. The development of the NOP involved three levels of government - Hamilton City Council, Waikato Regional Council and the New Zealand Transport Agency – resulting in a ‘one-network’ approach to road network optimisation and management within the Hamilton City Council boundaries.

They found that the NOP has provided them with the following key outputs:

  • Aspirational transport network, through agreed modal priorities by route and time of day
  • Provided a tangle framework to inform network operation, project and land use impact decisions
  • Network wide program development to address the largest and common types of performance gaps  tangible actions and guidance, which has raised the level of importance of the NOP by decision makers and stakeholders alike.

Given the above, the Hamilton NOP has proven to be a highly useable and important informer to decision makers and stakeholders alike, as it gave them a common aspirational network vision and how it will ideally operate. Given this realised benefit, further investment and continued use of a Hamilton NOP is expected.

Key Findings

A write-up of the NOP material and interview discussions is provided below.

Theme

Response

How is "network operation planning" defined and what should it be used for

  • Reflects agreed strategic goals
  • Guide thinking on best use of existing network
  • Proactive approach to network management.
  • Dual purpose of moving people and goods as well as enhancing activity centres

The development processes / steps / stages and timings

  1. Agree on Strategic Outcomes and Network Principles
  2. Map Places, key land uses and traffic generators
  3. Assign road use hierarchies
  4. Assign LOS and review Network Performance

It was noted that the NOP was completed in a staged approach (one quadrant of Hamilton’s network at a time), which they found very beneficial in terms of getting feedback updating and improving their implementation of the subsequent quadrants.

Where it fits in the overall network development and management process

  • “One network charter” - Hamilton City Council, Waikato Regional Council and NZTA.
  • Rather than focusing on road maintenance and building network capacity, the NOP sets out to align and guide thinking on how best to make use of the existing transport network.
  • NOP will evolve and change in a cycle of continuous improvement.

How it aligns / integrates with approval and funding processes

  • Three levels of governance – all working together under a “one network charter”.
  • Includes Hamilton City Council, Waikato Regional Council and the New Zealand Transport Agency.
  • Approval and funding of NOP recommendations was through this “one network charter”.

How it aligns / integrates with network and project planning approaches

  • Road Use Hierarchy (RUH) foundation of the NOP.
  • The RUHs align with network operating principles - include ‘place’ and ‘time’ functions.
  • A set of principles – or route priority options –developed to ensure RUHs consistently mapped onto network.

What the strategic objectives are and where did they come from

NOF Overview document sets out the strategic objectives and principles for the transport network that are held by each of the authoring organisations.

What the performance indicators are and where they come from

Network Principles, road hierarchy definitions and Level of Service definitions where developed based upon strategic documents from the strategic partners.

Who the development team members should be

Three levels of governance – all working together under a “one network charter” (i.e. Hamilton City Council, Waikato Regional Council and the New Zealand Transport Agency).

Who should implement NOPs

Those that were expected to use the NOP:

  • Development engineers
  • Transport operation staff
  • Traffic engineers
  • Asset managers
  • Industry (such as freight companies).

How should it be implemented

  • A live document
  • Should be updated at least every two years
  • Or when there is a significant change / development

What modes have been considered

  • General traffic
  • Public transport (buses)
  • Bicycles
  • Pedestrians
  • Freight

What network typologies and settings are relevant

The City of Hamilton (i.e. divided into four quadrants and the CBD).

Engagement recommendations

  • People who were working on it.
  • Insular but also focus on change
  • More iterative process, with stakeholders, and internal alignment meant starting points for other groups were clear

Planning and Assessment tools and modelling approaches

  • Network Fit Assessment (NFA) tool (SmartRoads)
  • Movement & Place Framework tool (under development)

Required input evidence and data

  • As part of the Network Fit Assessments:
  • Volumes for each mode
  • Road User Hierarchy including where this changes by time of day
  • Key places and destinations
  • Existing Level of Service for each mode.

Monitoring, feedback, update, etc. processes

Updates shall occur at least every two years and following new network infrastructure

Documents

The documentation provided as part of this case study included the following:

  • Hamilton City Network Operating Plan, Hamilton City Council, Waikato District Council and NZTA, April 2017

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