Abstract
Modern information technology and associated sophisticated data collection systems are providing engineers, planners and road authorities in Australia with better means to assess and develop strategies for the road network, embracing design standards, levels of service and safety aspects of roads. Major studies of the Australian road system have been undertaken by the national association of Australian state road authorities (NAASRA) and the bureau of transport economics (BTE). These studies demonstrated the application of the nimpac road planning model in the assessment of the rural arterial road system and used road inventory data held in a central source, the NAASRA data bank.