Estimations showed there would be around 20 to 30 minute traffic delays for five weeks as opposed to 10 minute delays for five months.
FAST TRACKING IN
FULL FORCE
THE INTERSECTION UPGRADE AT FRANKSTON-DANDENONG AND THOMPSONS ROADS IN SOUTH EAST MELBOURNE WAS SET TO TAKE FIVE MONTHS TO CONSTRUCT. WHEN CORONAVIRUS RESTRICTIONS EASED TRAFFIC, THE TEAM GOT TO WORK HATCHING A PLAN TO COMPLETE WORKS IN JUST FIVE WEEKS.
B
efore coronavirus restrictions came into place the roundabout at the intersection of FrankstonDandenong Road and Thompsons Road saw 58,000 vehicles daily. It is a connection point for those living in the Frankston, Carrum Downs, Cranbourne areas and working in the industrial hub of Dandenong. The Carrum Downs area is set to see an increase of over 4500 people by 2026, meaning infrastructure upgrades will be crucial. As part of the major Thompsons Road Upgrade project, BMD Constructions were contracted to remove the roundabout at Frankston-Dandenong Road and replace it with a signalised intersection. The construction of the intersection was set to be completed in five months but with the coronavirus reducing traffic, the team at Major Road Projects Victoria 46
ROADS AUGUST 2020
(MRPV) saw an opportunity to complete the project in a fifth of that time. Program Director Brendan Pauwels says the team were seeing a drop of around 30 per cent in traffic volumes while people were at home. “We got planning as to whether we could close the intersection to fast track the completion of the works and then from there it snowballed and we came up with a plan and put it into action,” he says. MRPV decided to perform a five-week total closure of the intersection, which would allow the team enough time to complete construction. “We pitched this to the State Government as we thought it was possible. We did the work around what would need to be put in place to enable the fast tracking to happen,” Mr. Pauwels says. “A lot of work was needed to understand
traffic movements and the impact that might have on motorists and also local residents and businesses who would have their access altered.” MRPV estimations showed there would be around a 20 to 30 minute delay for motorists during the five-week period, as opposed to an approximate 10-minute delay over the longer period of construction for five months. “We put together a communications and stakeholder strategy and a traffic management strategy. Then we went to government and said we think we can do this, and we can save four months of ongoing construction,” Mr. Pauwels says. To aid with the fast tracking of the project, the contractor BMD Constructions were already conducting early works for the intersection including the relocation of services.
