Project: ROAD SAFETY AUDIT. Pippingarra Road, Pippingarra ...

CONSULTING CIVIL & TRAFFIC ENGINEERS, RISK MANAGERS

Project: ROAD SAFETY AUDIT.

Pippingarra Road, Pippingarra.

Client: Town of Port Hedland.

Author: Bob Garton

Signature:

Date: 17th May 2016

1 ST. FLOOR, 908 ALBANY HIGHWAY, EAST VICTORIA PARK WA 6101.

PHONE +61 8 9355 1300

FACSIMILE +61 8 9355 1922

EMAIL [email protected]

ATTACHMENT 2 TO ITEM 11.2.3

Consulting Civil & Traffic Engineers, Risk Managers.

Document Status

Rev No. Author Reviewed by Date Issued for Signature Date

1 B. Garton E. Wilks 17/05/2016 Review 17/05/2016

SHAWMAC PTY LTD

ABN 51 828 614 001

PO BOX 937

SOUTH PERTH WA 6951

T: + 61 8 9355 1300

F: + 61 8 9355 1922

E: [email protected]

© Shawmac Pty. Ltd. 2016

Z:\Jobs Active 2016\T&T - Road Safety\Town of Port Hedland_various RSAs_1605007\Pippingarra Rd\Pippingarra Road RSA_V1.doc


CONTENTS.

1 Project and Site Details.................................................................................................................4

1.1 Scope .................................................................................................................................................... 4

1.2 Road Safety Audit.................................................................................................................................. 5

1.3 Traffic environment................................................................................................................................ 5

1.4 Traffic data ............................................................................................................................................ 6

1.5 Traffic Speed ......................................................................................................................................... 8

1.6 Crash history ......................................................................................................................................... 8

1.7 Auditor and audit process...................................................................................................................... 8

2 Findings........................................................................................................................................10

2.1 General Topics .................................................................................................................................... 10

2.2 Concept Design................................................................................................................................... 11

3 Conclusion ...................................................................................................................................12

4 Appendix 1 – Corrective Action Report. ....................................................................................13

5 Appendix 2 – Photographs. ........................................................................................................14

1 Appendix 3 – Concept Design Layout. ......................................................................................16

FIGURES

Figure 1 – Site location - Pippingarra Road (Port Hedland-Wittenoom Road), Pippinggarra ................................. 4

TABLES

Table 1 – Pippingarra Road – Traffic count data .................................................................................................... 6

Table 2– Great Northern Highway - Traffic count data ........................................................................................... 7

Table 3 – Pippingarra Road – Traffic speed data ................................................................................................... 8


1 Project and Site Details

1.1 Scope

The audit considered the existing road environment of the Pippingarra Road intersection with Great Northern

Highway and also the section of Pippingarra Road from Great Northern Highway to approximately 2 kilometres

to the south and was undertaken in accordance with Austroads, Road Safety Audit 2009; Main Roads WA Road

Safety Audit Guidelines and the Institute of Public Works Engineering Western Australia (IPWEA) Road Safety

Audit seminar training.

Additionally a review was undertaken on a concept design provided by the Town of Port Hedland to relocate the

Pippingarra Road intersection with Great Northern Highway to a location approximately 150 metres to the west.

This audit is intended to comment on road safety in relation to design form, sight distances and general road

safety in an objective manner. The audit considered all features within the road reserve and any contributing

aspects associated with the adjacent land use or other factors. The site is shown on Figure 1 below.

Figure 1 – Site location - Pippingarra Road (Port Hedland-Wittenoom Road), Pippinggarra

AUDIT SITE


1.2 Road Safety Audit

Road Safety Auditing is a formalised procedure, which can be applied to all phases of a road project

development or to an unsafe feature of an existing road system.

In reviewing the safety aspects of a road project, the reporting procedure is not intended as a redesign process

but seeks to outline potential road safety issues and establish a basis upon which asset owners could produce

an acceptable solution to any identified safety problem where risk levels are assessed as being unacceptable.

The recommendations contained in this report indicate the nature or direction of a solution, rather than

specifying the details of how to solve the problem.

The objectives of a road safety audit are -

To identify potential safety problems for a particular design or section of road;

To evaluate the road section in terms of interaction with its surrounds and nearby roads, and to visualise

potential impediments and conflicts for road users; and

To report on the conclusions drawn and to make recommendations regarding aspects which involve

unnecessary or unreasonable hazards

1.3 Traffic environment

The Pippingarra Road intersection with Great Northern Highway is located approximately 7 kilometres to the

east of Port Hedland Airport.

Great Northern Highway is classified as a Primary Distributor road that provides access between Perth City in

the south and the Wyndham town site in the north. At the audit site the carriageway is approximately 7 m wide

between painted edge lines and has sealed and unsealed shoulders approximately 1m wide. A bridge over

Beebingarra Creek with w-beam barrier installed on both sides of the carriageway is located approximately 120

metres to the east of Pippingarra Road. The posted speed zone from approximately 500 metres to the west of

the intersection to 650 metres to the east is 90 km/h. The speed beyond this is 110 km/h.

Pippingarra Road is classified as an access road and along the audited section it has been cleared for a width of

approximately 20 metres with a formed pavement about 10 metres wide. Table drains are provided along each

side with cut-off drains installed intermittently along its length. The approach to Great Northern Highway is

sealed for approximately 50 metres and has large radii to accommodate the swept path of heavy haulage

vehicles with multiple trailers. There are no speed zone signs installed for this section of road.


1.4 Traffic data

Traffic data sourced from the Town of Port Hedland and MRWA website is shown below.

Table 1 – Pippingarra Road – Traffic count data


Table 2– Great Northern Highway - Traffic count data


1.5 Traffic Speed

Traffic speed data sourced from the Town of Port Hedland is shown below.

Table 3 – Pippingarra Road – Traffic speed data

1.6 Crash history

Crash summary reports sourced from the Main Roads W.A. website indicate that in the 5 years to the end of

December 2015, there were no recorded crashes at the Pippingarra Road / Great Northern Highway

intersection.

1.7 Auditor and audit process

A fundamental of Road Safety Auditing is that the auditor(s) should be independent, have a sound

understanding and knowledge of road safety principles and traffic and road design standards and have been

trained to undertake safety audits. As such the auditor appointed to review this site was: -

Bob Garton (Shawmac Pty. Ltd.)

Also participating in the day audit was:

Ahmad Zainal (Town of Port Hedland)

Nathan White (Town of Port Hedland) and


Peter Ellis (Main Roads WA)

The audit relied on a day site inspection on Thursday 5th May 2016 in fine weather conditions.

Supporting information includes:

Corrective Action Report Appendix 1

Photographs Appendix 2

Re-alignment Concept Layout Appendix 3


2 Findings

2.1 General Topics

2.1.1 Photo #1

The w-beam safety rail installed along the southern side of the Beebingarra Creek bridge impacts on the sight

distance for traffic exiting Pippingarra Road. Inadequate sight distance increases the risk of conflict between

road users.

Recommendation

The intersection should be re-aligned to the west to provide uninterrupted sight lines and sight envelopes

compliant with Austroads Guidelines.

2.1.2

There are no advance intersection advisory signs installed on Great Northern Highway on either approach to the

Pippingarra Road intersection. Inadequate signage on the approaches to an intersecting side road may result in

drivers undertaking an unexpected turn manoeuvre possibly increasing the risk of rear end type crashes.

Recommendation

Install advance intersection advisory signage with street name drop tags on approaches to the intersection.

2.1.3

There are no advance intersection advisory signs installed on Pippingarra Road approaching Great Northern

Highway intersection.

Recommendation

Install advance intersection advisory signage to comply with the recommended treatment for intersection signs

as per AS1742.

2.1.4

There are no repeater speed zone signs installed on Great Northern Highway in either direction of the


intersection for traffic exiting Pippingarra Road.

Recommendation

Install repeater speed zone signs.

2.1.5 Photo #4 & 5

There are no guide posts installed along this section of Pippingarra Road which has straight and curved

alignments.

Recommendation

Install guide posts in accordance with Main Roads WA technical guidelines.

2.1.6 Photo #6

There are ‘cut-off’ drains installed intermittently along Pippingarra Road that have an invert level higher than the

table drain along Pippingarra Road. Inadequate drainage may result in flooding during storm events increasing

the risk to road users.

Recommendation

The ‘cut-off’ drains should be modified to provide compatible invert levels to ensure storm water is directed off

the roadway.

2.2 Concept Design

The concept design presented by the Town of Port Hedland (Refer Appendix 3) to realign the Pippingarra Road

west of its current alignment is considered to be an appropriate design and potentially provides a safer

connection between Pippingarra Road and Great Northern Highway subject to the design being completed in

accordance with Austroads Guidelines design requirements and Main Roads WA technical guidelines for

signage and pavement marking.


3 Conclusion

This audit has been carried out for the purpose of identifying any features of the design that could be amended

or removed to improve the safety of the project. The identified issues have been detailed in Section 2 of this

report.

The specific recommendations outlined in this report are forwarded for consideration.

Bob Garton.

17th May 2016.


4 Appendix 1 – Corrective Action Report.

Ref Findings. Recommendations. Agree /Disagree.

Comments.

2.1.1 The w-beam safety rail installedalong the southern side of theBeebingarra Creek bridge impactson the sight distance for trafficexiting Pippingarra Road.Inadequate sight distanceincreases the risk of conflictbetween road users.

The intersection should be re-aligned to the west to provideuninterrupted sight lines and sightenvelopes compliant withAustroads Guidelines.

2.1.2 There are no advance intersectionadvisory signs installed on GreatNorthern Highway on eitherapproach to the Pippingarra Roadintersection. Inadequate signage onthe approaches to an intersectingside road may result in driversundertaking an unexpected turnmanoeuvre possibly increasing therisk of rear end type crashes.

Install advance intersectionadvisory signage with street namedrop tags on approaches to theintersection.

2.1.3 There are no advance intersectionadvisory signs installed onPippingarra Road approachingGreat Northern Highwayintersection.

Install advance intersectionadvisory signage to comply with therecommended treatment forintersection signs as per AS1742.

2.1.4 There are no repeater speed zonesigns installed on Great NorthernHighway in either direction of theintersection for traffic exitingPippingarra Road.

Install repeater speed zone signs.

2.1.5 There are ‘cut-off’ drains installedintermittently along PippingarraRoad that have an invert levelhigher than the table drain alongPippingarra Road. Inadequatedrainage may result in floodingduring storm events increasing therisk to road users.

The ‘cut-off’ drains should bemodified to provide compatibleinvert levels to ensure storm wateris directed off the roadway.

2.1.6 There are no guide posts installedalong this section of PippingarraRoad which has straight andcurved alignments.

Install guide posts in accordancewith Main Roads WA technicalguidelines.


5 Appendix 2 – Photographs.

Photo #1

Great Northern Highway

Looking east from Pippingarra Road

intersection and showing the T-intersection

treatment at w-beam barrier installation

impacting on sight distance.

Photo #2


Looking east from Pippingarra Road

intersection.

Photo #3


Looking south along Pippingarra Road from

Greta Northern Highway.


Photo #4

Pippingarra Road

Showing the typical layout on a straight

without guideposts.

Photo #5

Pippingarra Road

Showing the typical layout approaching a

curve without guideposts.

Photo #6

Pippingarra Road

Showing a ‘cut-off’ drain with the invert level

above the Pippingarra Road table drain.

1 Appendix 3 – Concept Design Layout.

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