The Austroads Guide to Traffic Management has 13 parts and provides comprehensive traffic management guidance for practitioners involved in traffic engineering, road design and road safety.
This Guide is restricted to traffic management advice and refers only briefly to issues more appropriately addressed in other Guides. The Guide recognises that the management of traffic should be based on an understanding of road design and of the capabilities and behaviour of all road users, and on the performance and characteristics of vehicles. It is difficult to discuss many aspects of traffic management without reference to road design and/or safety issues, the view is taken that within the Guide to Traffic Management any such reference should be brief and be supported by links to the Guide to Road Design and/or the Guide to Road Safety
The Guide to Traffic Management comprises of:
- Part 1: Introduction to the Guide to Traffic Management introduces the Guide series and provides a high-level overview of traffic management concepts.
- Part 2: Traffic Theory Concepts provides an overview of the concepts used in traffic management in Australia and New Zealand. Traffic theory is a complex area of study and it is not the intention of Part 2 to discuss it in detail. Instead, Part 2 aims to provide practitioners with the theoretical background necessary to appreciate the nature of traffic behaviour and to understand the theoretical concepts regarding traffic behaviour. Understanding traffic theory concepts can be used to develop strategies for the management of traffic.
- Part 3: Transport Study and Analysis Methods provides an overview of available methods for undertaking transport studies and analysis in Australia and New Zealand. Part 3 outlines the importance of transport data and its analysis for transport management and control within a network. It aims to ensure some degree of consistency in conducting transport studies and surveys. It provides guidance on the different types of transport studies and surveys that can be undertaken, their use and application, and methods for transport data collection and analysis.
- Part 4: Network Management Strategies provides guidance on how to manage the road corridor network at the strategic level. Part 4 provides an overview of the network needs for various categories of road user, the characteristics of various types of networks, and describes a planning process for balancing or prioritising the competing needs of different users. It refers to transport management solutions and tools discussed in other parts.
- Part 5: Link Management provides guidance on how to manage road corridor links (i.e. sections between intersections). This part is focused on the road corridor links of arterials, collectors and distributors as opposed to the management of intersections or local roads which is covered in other parts. Road corridor link management includes access management, road corridor space allocation for users of the road, lane management and speed limits setting.
- Part 6: Intersections, Interchanges and Crossings Management provides guidance on how to manage intersections, interchanges and crossings. This part does not discuss road corridor links or the management of local road intersections which are covered in other parts. Part 6 covers the selection of intersection type, roundabouts, signalised and unsignalised intersections, road corridor interchanges, rail crossings and pedestrian and cyclist crossings. Part 6 focuses on the types of crossing in these categories, the functional layouts and road corridor space allocation with respect to these. It excludes their operation which is covered in Part 9.
- Part 7: Activity Centre Transport Management provides guidance on how to manage the movement of people and goods within activity centres. This part is focused on the management of road corridors within activity centres as opposed to managing road corridors (including local roads) away from activity centres which is covered in other parts. For Part 7, activity centres are defined as vibrant hubs where people shop, work, meet, relax and often live. The essential feature of activity centres, as understood in contemporary planning usage, is the concentration of people activity. In planning terms, the distinguishing features and purposes of activity centres are to cluster, rather than disperse, with their uses and activities deriving social, environmental and economic benefits for the community and business generally.
- Part 8: Local Street Management provides guidance on how to manage local streets through implementation of local area transport management (LATM). This part is focused on the calming of motorised general vehicular traffic within local streets through LATM schemes as opposed to calming traffic on roads other than local streets (e.g. arterial roads). In addition to calming traffic, consideration needs to be given to catering for other modes of transport for which this part provides guidance. Part 8 has been prepared to encourage a rational and orderly approach to LATM schemes, and to provide technical guidance and further source material for the practitioner.
- Part 9: Transport Control Systems – Strategies and Operations provides guidance on the techniques used for operating transport control systems to manage the road corridor network. This part is focused on these systems as opposed to the principles for managing the physical aspects of the road corridor network (e.g. layout and space allocation) which is covered in other parts.
- Part 10: Transport Control – Types of Devices provides guidance on the types of transport control devices (signals, signs, pavement markings and islands) available for the operational management of roads. This part is focused on devices as opposed to the operation of transport control devices which is covered in Part 9. Part 10 covers the devices that are suitable for use under different road corridor conditions to create a safer road environment for all users in temporary or permanent situations. Part 10 aims to provide a means to ensure uniformity in transport control and management, as it is essential that the devices allow road corridor users to react at different locations in a timely and similar manner.
- Part 11: Parking Management Techniques provides guidance on how on-street and off-street parking can be managed in the context of transport management. Part 11 provides guidance on parking policy, demand and supply, data and surveys, on-street and off-street parking as well as types of parking and parking controls.
- Part 12: Integrated Transport Assessments for Developments provides guidance on the process to identify and assess potential impacts of land developments on road corridor management through preparation of an integrated transport assessment (sometimes referred to as a transport impact assessment or traffic impact assessment).
- Part 13: Safe System Approach to Transport Management provides the underlying philosophy of a safe road corridor environment as it relates to transport management practice which includes the Safe System and human factors and their role in delivering a safe outcome. The aim of this part is to place this underlying philosophy in the context of guidance provided in other Guides. This part is not intended as a comprehensive document but forms a useful link between the Guide to Traffic Management and other Guides from a safety perspective, particularly the Guide to Road Safety and the Guide to Road Design.
All parts can be downloaded from the set page.