NTRO recently completed an AusRAP (Australian Road Assessment Program) update for 4,711 km of State Roads for Transport for NSW. An AusRAP assessment produces Star Ratings for roads, with 1 Star being the least safe and 5 Stars being the safest road arrangement. Star Ratings provide a simple and objective measure of the level of safety provided by the road infrastructure being assessed and are easy to communicate and readily understood by road users.
Since 2013, NTRO has worked with TfNSW to update the AusRAP coding of at least 20% of the urban and rural State Road network each year (approximately 4,000 km). This has aided in ensuring currency of the network analysis to inform TfNSW’s program decision making processes. NTRO have now completed three rounds of updates, totaling 12,556 km, thus assisting TfNSW with identifying high safety risks along their State Roads.
NTRO have also undertaken AusRAP assessments on NSW Regional Roads (roads which provide the main connections to and between towns and districts). These roads are of particular importance regarding road safety, as they link communities and service freight vehicles, tourists and families. 19,000 km of NSW Regional Roads were assessed in 2021, enabling TfNSW to understand the road infrastructure safety risk to road users along these crucial routes.
TfNSW and NTRO have been working together for over a decade now, to deliver important and exciting AusRAP projects which have been undertaken over the years, including:
- Developing Safer Roads Investment Plans (SRIPs) – SRIPs provide a plan for future safety upgrades on road networks, based on analysis of the costs and benefits, and an assessment of the FSI (Fatal and Serious Injuries) that are likely to be prevented.
- ProducingDeveloping Mass Action Programs (MAPs) - applying an evidence-based remedial treatment (or package of treatments) to address a hazardous feature or crash type across the network. Star Ratings for road designs – a proactive method of assessing risk prior to roads being constructed.
“Having spent most of my life in NSW, I’ve felt a great sense of achievement assisting TfNSW identify high risk sections of road throughout their network” said Graeme Kashmer, project leader for the TfNSW AusRAP updates.
TfNSW have recently led the way in Australia by releasing their Star Rating results. To see the latest NSW Star Ratings, visit the TfNSW website here.
Why NTRO?
NTRO is the Australian International Road Assessment Program (iRAP) Centre of Excellence; we have staff accredited in iRAP coding, analysis, and reporting processes and we have completed iRAP coding and reporting for Australian and overseas road agencies, for over 140,000 km of network.
Our experience and expertise in iRAP and AusRAP has seen the NTRO team lead AusRAP training across the road industry, including TfNSW personnel.
NTRO has a network of coding suppliers and an experienced in-house team, to provide all aspects of AusRAP delivery, from developing coding processes through to quality review, ViDA (platform for road safety analysis to enable road assessment) uploading, analysis, and reporting.
For more information about AusRAP assessments or to partner with NTRO, please contact: Graeme Kashmer, Senior Engineer, Safer Smarter Infrastructure graeme.kashmer@ntro.org.au
