To enhance student safety and improve public transport efficiency, the Victorian School Building Authority (VSBA) engaged Quantum Traffic to assist in the design of bus interchange improvements at Warrnambool College. The project focused on optimising bus movements, improving pedestrian safety, and addressing the challenges posed by the constrained existing conditions of the site.
Warrnambool College Bus Interchange Improvements – Design & Traffic Engineering
Warrnambool College Bus Interchange Improvements – Design & Traffic Engineering
Client
Architect
Client
VSBA
Overview
Services
To support the successful design and functionality of the interchange, Quantum Traffic delivered:
- Risk Assessment – Evaluating existing bus operations, traffic conditions, and pedestrian movements to inform design improvements.
- Bus Interchange Layout Design – Optimizing bus bay configurations, circulation paths, and queuing space to improve operational efficiency.
- Stakeholder Coordination – Working closely with the VSBA, Warrnambool College, and transport operators to ensure the design met operational and safety requirements.
Outcomes/Benefits
The limited space available for the interchange presented challenges in accommodating bus movements, student queuing areas, and safe pedestrian access. Additionally, managing pedestrian movements—particularly during peak school hours—was critical to ensuring student safety.
- Maximizing Space Efficiency – Quantum Traffic carefully refined bus bay configurations and circulation paths, making the best use of available space while ensuring smooth and safe operations.
- Pedestrian Management Enhancements – Designed safe, designated pedestrian pathways and controlled crossing points, reducing interaction between students and buses.
- Balancing Traffic Flow & Safety – Recommended traffic calming measures, improved signage, and designated waiting areas to create a safer and more functional interchange environment.
Challenges/Solutions
A key challenge was ensuring the efficiency of the entry and exit phases of the event, where large volumes of vehicles and pedestrians arrived and departed within short timeframes. Poorly managed access could lead to excessive queuing, congestion, and delays, impacting local road networks and festival operations.
- Entry Phase Analysis – Quantum Traffic reviewed arrival patterns, access points, and capacity constraints to ensure smooth vehicle entry. Recommendations included staggered arrival times, additional entry lanes, and improved wayfinding signage to reduce queuing and bottlenecks.
- Exit Phase Planning – The mass departure of festivalgoers required effective dispersal strategies to prevent congestion. Quantum Traffic assessed capacity at the site egress point and suggested active management of exit movement to reduce queueing.
- Queue Management & Contingency Planning – Identified potential overflow areas, temporary traffic controls, and real-time management strategies to prevent excessive queuing and ensure emergency access remained clear.
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