Austroads: Transport Research and Trends

Urban freight plays a critical role in supporting cities and regional centres across Australia and New Zealand; however, despite its importance, urban freight is not consistently defined, measured and planned for across jurisdictions.

This webinar presents an overview of the Urban Freight Scoping Study. The purpose of the study is to provide a clear, evidence-based foundation to support future policy development and decision-making related to urban freight in Australia and New Zealand.

Participants gain an overview of the current state of the urban freight task and understand key challenges faced by industry. Drawing on findings from existing literature, stakeholder engagement with over 30 organisations, and international best practice, the session also discusses ways that governments across Australia and New Zealand can better support urban freight.

This webinar presents the outcomes of Austroads research into intersection sight distance, identifying key gaps, inconsistencies, and opportunities for harmonisation across Australian and New Zealand road design guidance. Drawing on an extensive literature review, international best practice, and stakeholder engagement with jurisdictional experts, the project examined the application of sight distance models at signalised and unsignalised intersections for all road users. The webinar will highlight key findings, including inconsistencies in current design approaches, consideration of different transport modes, and the treatment of signal failure scenarios. It will also outline recommendations for updating Austroads Guide to Road Design Part 4A to improve clarity, consistency, safety outcomes, and practitioner decision-making across the road network.

This webinar provides an overview of the updated Austroads Guide to Road Safety Part 3: Safe Speed Management, with a focus on how the guidance can support safer speed limit setting in practice.Designed for road authorities, transport practitioners and others involved in speed management, the webinar will provide an overview of the Guide’s key concepts, evidence base and practical tools for applying safe speed principles across different road and street environments.Participants learn how the updated Guide supports a move from evidence to strategy, frameworks, implementation planning and delivery.

This project delivered a range of important updates to the AGRD aimed at improving the clarity, consistency and contemporary relevance of road design guidance across Australia and New Zealand. It incorporated findings from the All User Groups and All Stereotypes and Safe System Median Treatments projects, while also addressing identified errors, inconsistencies and opportunities for harmonisation.

In this session, we focus on updates to Workstream 1.3 Batter Slopes and Workstream 1.8 Consistent Speed Terminology. Attendees will gain an understanding of the key changes, the rationale behind them, and their practical implications for road design, standards development and project delivery.

This webinar presents the outcomes of Austroads Project APT1975, which conducted research to develop a new Austroads test method for evaluating the fatigue cracking performance of aged bitumen. The test method was developed for road agencies to select durable binders for constructing sprayed seal surfacings.

The development work included an extensive literature review of international fatigue cracking tests to identify suitable dynamic shear rheometer (DSR) tests. The most promising tests identified in the literature review were then conducted on a wide range of binders that were subjected to asphalt fatigue tests. This enabled selection of a reference binder test that showed the best correlation with asphalt fatigue life results.

The DSR time-sweep test was identified as a suitable reference binder test and was used to assess the fatigue cracking performance of bitumen samples after they were aged in a laboratory pressure ageing vessel (PAV) for up to 72 hours. The bitumen samples were then subjected to other DSR tests that could be performed in a shorter time than time-sweep tests, in order to identify a simple test that could be used instead of time-sweep tests which are time-consuming and complex.

The new Austroads test involves PAV ageing a 1 mm bitumen film for 72 hours and then measuring the complex modulus (G*) of the aged bitumen sample at 15°C using a test frequency of 10 Hz.

The Austroads Guide to Temporary Traffic Management (AGTTM) provides nationally consistent guidance for the planning, design and implementation of safe and efficient temporary traffic management across Australia and New Zealand.

Traffic Management Designers (TMDs) play a critical role in the temporary traffic management process. The planning and design phase provides the greatest opportunity to identify hazards, manage risks and develop practical, safe and efficient TTM solutions. As a result, TMDs are central to achieving effective on-road outcomes.

This webinar recording is suited to both practising and aspiring TMDs, and professionals working within or alongside the TTM industry who are looking to strengthen their understanding of the AGTTM and apply it more effectively in their day-to-day work. The webinar provided an overview of key topics relating to best-practice TTM design and summarised recent updates to the AGTTM that are specifically relevant to designers.

The Austroads Technical Specifications provide a comprehensive framework for the construction of roads and bridges, defining key requirements for materials, treatments and infrastructure across the industry. They establish a consistent, best-practice approach to the design, specification and delivery of road and bridge works. By standardising requirements across jurisdictions, they support greater efficiency, improved quality outcomes and more streamlined procurement and delivery processes for both industry and government.

This webinar provides an overview of the Austroads Technical Specifications, including how they are being developed in collaboration with jurisdictions and industry. It will explore the principles guiding their creation and the role they play in supporting consistent, best-practice road and bridge construction outcomes.

Presentations from agencies also outline their approaches to implementation, covering key objectives, delivery strategies and lessons learned. Speakers will share insights into their implementation processes, along with current progress and timelines for adopting the specifications within their organisations.

This webinar presents the development and application of the Minimum Data Requirements for Pedestrian Safety Guideline and its supporting research. Participants will gain an overview of the challenges associated with inconsistent and incomplete pedestrian safety data, and why a nationally consistent approach is critical for monitoring outcomes and targeting investment.

The session will explain how the research identified and prioritised pedestrian safety data sets, distinguishing between “ideal” and “minimum” requirements based on cost, effort, and contribution to safety outcomes. It will highlight the recommended minimum data framework, covering exposure and demographics, crashes and injuries, and physical environment data across strategic, tactical and site levels.

Attendees also learn practical approaches to data collection, use of proxy measures, current gaps, and emerging opportunities to improve pedestrian safety monitoring and decision-making in transport agencies.

This webinar presents the completed Austroads Charting a Path to Eliminating Road Death and Serious Injury project, including all three streams and newly released knowledge transfer resources. It introduces the Planning for Zero Framework (PfZF)—a practical, system-based approach to achieving Vision Zero by 2050—and demonstrates how it translates into actionable Zero Pathways tailored to jurisdictions.

Participants will explore key findings, practical road safety strategy development advice, and a comprehensive suite of artefacts now available through the Knowledge Hub, including briefings, fact sheets, infographics, engagement guidance, and messaging toolkits.

The session is designed for road safety leaders and practitioners, and general road and transport professionals, seeking clear, evidence-based guidance to move from road safety ambition to implementation—combining technical planning, change management, and stakeholder engagement to deliver sustained reductions in death and serious injury.

The Austroads Guide to Temporary Traffic Management (AGTTM) provides nationally consistent guidance for the planning, design, and implementation of safe and efficient temporary traffic management across Australia and New Zealand.

Recent revisions to AGTTM Parts 1–7, 9 and 10 (Edition 1.2) focus on continuing to align the Guide with contemporary temporary traffic management best practice, improving clarity, and strengthening consistency of terminology. Approximately 30 per cent of content across these Parts has been updated, while deliberately retaining the existing structure of the Guide. These updates represent an incremental and continuous improvement approach, refining guidance where while maintaining consistency for ease of integration with existing TTM documentation.

This webinar provides a practical overview of the key changes, their intent, and what they mean for those involved in the planning, approval and delivery of temporary traffic management.