Everything You Need to Know About Traffic Engineering and how it supports planners and architects
Traffic Engineering Melbourne
Traffic engineering Melbourne services are an essential aspect of keeping cities liveable.
This article unpacks everything you need to know about traffic engineering for major cities including, Melbourne, Sydney and Canberra. It also discusses how traffic engineering consultants support planners and architects.
What is the goal of traffic engineering?
The goal of traffic engineering is to achieve the free and rapid flow of traffic while minimising accidents.
What are the main elements of traffic engineering?
There are four main elements of traffic engineering.
Traffic Studies
In traffic studies, traffic engineers collect data to assess the traffic impacts of new developments or changes in road use.These are called Traffic Impact Assessments (TIA), or Traffic Operational Analysis (TOA), which is a simplified version of a TIA.
Traffic Performance Evaluation
While traffic studies show what is supposed to happen in a given situation, traffic performance evaluations study what has actually happened.
Traffic engineers match traffic performance in certain areas against predetermined criteria to review the efficiency of the local traffic.
Facility Design
Traffic engineers are involved with the construction of facilities such as car parks and entrances for residential developments and commercial developments.
Traffic Control
When disruption to regular traffic patterns occurs, traffic engineers coordinate the affected traffic to ensure it can run as smoothly as possible.
Traffic disruptions can be caused by incidents such as roadworks or construction development that force the closure of adjacent roads.
We provide both traffic management plans and local area traffic management plans to assist with the traffic control requirements of a project.
Why is traffic engineering Melbourne essential?
Traffic engineers are the experts who ensure that our roads are as safe and uncongested as possible.
Without traffic engineers, our road network would be unsafe and underdeveloped, leading to higher traffic congestion and more (avoidable) accidents.
What is the difference between traffic engineering and transportation engineering?
While transport and traffic engineering are closely related sub-disciplines of civil engineering, traffic engineers specialise in road traffic.
Transport engineers focus on all forms of transport including railways, air travel and sea travel.
This means you will find that transport engineers work with traffic engineers to design efficient road networks.
What does a traffic engineer do?
Traffic engineers, also known as traffic consultants, focus on the design and maintenance of roads, ensuring that traffic is as free-flowing and safe as possible.
They also help developers secure planning approval for their development.
Governments and road authorities, such as VicRoads and the Department of Transport, have guidelines to ensure new development does not harm traffic.
How do traffic engineers solve problems?
Traffic engineers can employ a range of traffic management solutions for traffic problems, depending on the issue at hand:
Traffic engineers use swept path analysis to ensure cars have enough room to move in and out of a particular area, such as a car park ramp or roundabout.
Traffic engineers use Traffic Impact Assessments to ensure a new development does not impede traffic.
Traffic Modelling is used by traffic engineers when detailed analysis of future traffic patterns is needed, which is often the case for larger developments. Traffic modelling utilises microsimulation software. At Quantum Traffic, we use the Aimsun microsimulation software package recommended by many road authorities around Australia.
Traffic engineers Melbourne use car park design and plans and parking surveys and traffic counts to ensure car parks are as safe and efficient as possible.
Traffic engineers use traffic management plans to ensure new construction development has a minimal effect on surrounding traffic.
Traffic engineers use road safety audits to assess the risk of traffic accidents on both current and proposed roads. Road safety audits are important because they stop traffic accidents before they happen.
Traffic engineers use green travel plans to ensure traffic planning contributes to a more sustainable future.
So, to minimise risk around traffic for your next project, discuss your traffic engineering needs with an experienced traffic engineer.
If you would like to find out more about traffic engineering in Melbourne, and how traffic engineers can help you with your development plans, Quantum Traffic is here to help.
For a wide range of traffic engineering Melbourne solutions, get in contact with Quantum Traffic.