By Beth Lilford
Head of Digital, Altus Traffic
Beth.Lilford@altusgroup.com.au
Temporary traffic management in Australia hasn’t much evolved since the invention of electricity.
Resources in the form of people, vehicles and equipment, are coordinated for supply ahead of time. Once deployed, the supervision of those resources is conducted in-situ. In other words, potential incidents and risks must be escalated manually and the escalation can only occur after incidents have already happened.
It’s like the old dig at managers. When asked how a shift went, the response is, “Well, I didn’t get a phone call, so I guess okay!” We need to move beyond guesswork and after-the-fact calls that only respond to issues – and move into the space of anticipating them.
Workzone Digitisation works differently, using Internet of Things (IoT) sensors and some very smart software to convert information on the performance of resources into a continuous, automated and actionable monitoring system, inviting the observers / audience to take note of any issues, act, and ultimately improve safety.
‘Dumb’ assets are reborn smart. They can communicate what is happening to them in real-time. When paired with external data sources, risk can be better contextualised and new benchmarks realised in terms of safety, risk management and productivity.
While there are many use cases for Workzone Digitisation, new and emerging, the three most popular drivers for adoption are safety, productivity and sustainability.
Sensor paired and proprietary assets (such as signage, traffic cones, vehicles, alarm units, lidar detectors and a growing number of new devices, can provide instant warning of workzone or exclusion zone incursions and incidents. These assets provide valuable and instantaneous warning. Among certain traffic management scenarios, sensor-paired assets can be used to reduce the need for people on foot at worksites – ultimately mitigating potential harm among a significant proportion of the road workforce,
Third-party data sets including vehicle speeds, volumes and near misses, along with other relevant data such as weather and road condition, offer the potential for advanced and active (i.e., real-time) intervention based on evolving risk. If site safety has been established on the basis that vehicles should be travelling below a temporary posted speed limit and the data is showing they are clearly not, adjustments can be made to manage that risk.
For larger workzones and detour routes, a current requirement is for people to travel around in vehicles simply to observe that the signs guiding motorists are upright and performing as intended. With sensor equipped signs, these assets now communicate if they have been moved or have fallen over, potentially saving thousands of kilometres in unnecessary driving. A carbon calculator paired to the system helps to identify those exact emissions savings, helping teams meet their sustainability goals.
Altus has been hard at work partnering with sophisticated customers to hone Workzone Digitisation for Australian rules and conditions ahead of scaling. The detailed reporting tools available via our platform have been providing crucial insights for operators on how their sites are performing. Notable sites have included:
- M5E/M8 with Fulton Hogan Egis
- M7/M12 with John Holland
- Tullamarine Freeway with Downer Maintenance & Transurban
- NorthConnex with Downer Maintenance & ITS
- M80 and Warringah Freeway with CPB Contractors
- Harbour SRAPC with Boral
- Wellington Transport Alliance with Fulton Hogan
More recently, Workzone Digitisation and the Intellitag device have been recognised by the NSW Government’s Gateway to Innovate program for their potential to improve productivity and sustainability on transport projects. We are thankful to the NSW Roads Minister, the Hon John Graham MLC, for commending the use of the technology on such projects and for acknowledging the importance of this potentially life-saving innovation within our industry, and for our workers.
By blending technology, strategy, and sustainability, Workzone Digitisation is helping us reimagine what’s possible for traffic management – one smart cone, sensor, and site at a time.
