INNOVATION NOMINEES
MAROOCHY GROYNE PROJECT Sunshine Coast Council Sunshine Coast Council’s $2 million Maroochy Groyne Renewal Project (Stage 1) renewed two groyne structures and the seawall surrounding the Cotton Tree Holiday Park at Maroochydore. Driven by failing assets the project was the result of extensive planning by Sunshine Coast Council, including a 10-year Shoreline Erosion Management Plan (SEMP) developed in 2014. The project was required to protect the iconic park and other valuable assets in the surrounding Cotton Tree precinct (including recreation areas, businesses, accommodation and residential properties) from erosion, and was an Australian first for using 9 tonne geotextile bags. Over 2,000 sand-filled geotextile containers were used. Facing significant community and political interest in groyne replacement options, the project involved extensive community consultation including establishment of a community reference group (the Maroochy River Estuary Consultation Group) which continued to work with Council after the initial consultation period on design options and testing, and wider community engagement. The project was delivered by a cross organisational team, with continuity of involvement for each project phase drawing on project management and coastal engineering expertise throughout. It employed a design which was informed by comprehensive research and physical modelling of different design structures and onsite testing, undertaken with industry specialists at the Water Research Laboratory at the University of New South Wales. This research, combined with coastal engineering principles and a sound understanding of the Maroochy River’s natural migration processes, delivered a successful project and infrastructure that will serve the community for decades to come.
26 IPWEAQ EXCELLENCE AWARDS 2021
FREIGHT PRIORITY SYSTEM City of Gold Coast This is the first time intersection signal priority based on vehicle mass has been implemented in Queensland. The excellent outcomes attributed to this project are due to the innovative application of proven technology and systems to develop a unique solution in response to a common problem. The project driver was an ongoing maintenance issue caused by heavy vehicles stopping at a signalised intersection with a downward gradient, causing rutting and pavement damage. The freight priority system allows vehicles greater than 45 tonnes to be detected upstream and given priority (green signal) through the intersection thereby reducing the number of times heavy vehicles need to stop in response to a red signal. Cost savings associated with reduced maintenance and road rehabilitation are a benefit for the City and the community. The project also offers numerous secondary benefits which have been evaluated over the initial 12 month period of operation. The benefits that can be attributed to this initiative include: •R educed costs associated with pavement asset management and renewal • I ncreased operational efficiencies for the freight industry • I mproved safety on the road network •E nvironmental improvements through reduced vehicle emissions • I mproved operational efficiency of the road network • I mproved data collection
