Increasing congestion on Australian freeways and arterials has resulted in a review of traffic management systems and procedures in urban corridors. This review was undertaken by Austroads in its Networks research program in 2005-2007. This paper summarises the findings of a national review of traffic management in Australia, including current practices and traffic trends. It introduces new research findings from road authorities which show evidence of peak spreading and a decline in vehicle throughput during times of peak demand. The paper discusses a range of solutions considered, including road space allocation tools (such as priority lanes), dynamic traffic management tools (such as ramp metering and variable speed control), network intelligence tools as well as the concept of an integrated approach with a combination of tools. The paper also presents the comments of Australian traffic management practitioners on the key issues in improving network performance drawn from a series of workshops and presentations across Australia. The paper concludes with recommendations for a way forward which includes investment in new traffic monitoring and evaluation tools, establishment of trials and demonstration projects and research into performance metrics, driver behaviour and new algorithms for control of dynamic systems. (a)
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