| Department of Transport & Main Roads Department of Transport andMain Roads
Department of Transport & Main Roads | Department of Transport andMain Roads
| Department of Transport & Main Roads The largest reconstruction program in Queensland’s history has been completed six months ahead of schedule. Following the unprecedented number and severity of natural disasters that caused extensive damage to communities and key road, rail, ports and waterways infrastructure between 2010 and 2013, the Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads established the Transport Network Reconstruction Program (TNRP) to restore large sections of the state-controlled road network. The priority was to reconnect Queensland to ensure vital supply and aid community economic recovery. The program has delivered important achievements that will leave a lasting legacy and assist the department with managing future disasters.
Department of Transport & Main Roads | The significance and scale of the reconstruction program cannot be overstated. The impact of 16 floods and cyclones on the state was enormous, with all local government areas disaster declared at some stage between 2010 and 2013. In some cases, this meant there was no opportunity to undertake damage assessment work or begin reconstruction required from one event before the next one caused additional devastation. To meet this challenge, the TNRP was established to coordinate program delivery with federal, other state and local government agencies, and industry. The TNRP was tasked with rebuilding more than 8700km of state-controlled roads – equivalent to restoring more than one-quarter of the statecontrolled road network in just four years. The distance of roads that have been reconstructed is equivalent to driving around the coast of Australia all the way from Broome in Western Australia to just past Townsville halfway up the Queensland coast. LARGEST RECONSTRUCTION PROGRAM IN QUEENSLAND’S HISTORY
| Department of Transport & Main Roads With such widespread damage and the cost of repairs in excess of available funding from all levels of government, a business-asusual approach would not have delivered value for money, nor achieved completion of repairs within the mandatory two-year timeframe to meet federal government funding requirements. For the first time in the department’s history, a program management approach was used to manage recovery and reconstruction works. An integrated TMR consultancy established a Brisbane-based, state-focused program office comprising an integrated team of departmental and consultancy personnel. The mix of resources brought together industry best practice, program and project management knowledge and experience to supplement TMR’s significant road-building experience. The TNRP team was recognised for its program management expertise in the Australian Institute of Project Management 2014 Project Management Achievement Awards, winning National Project of the Year, Queensland Project of the Year and the ‘Construction/Engineering in excess of $100 million’ state category. PROGRAMMANAGEMENT
Department of Transport & Main Roads | The reconstruction effort was delivered under the federal government’s Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements (NDRRA), where the Australian Government provides up to 75 per cent of the funding for eligible reconstruction works and the Queensland Government provides the balance. For funding to be available, reconstruction work must be completed within two financial years of the end of the financial year in which the event occurred. PROGRAMCOMPLETED
| Department of Transport & Main Roads This rightfully brought high levels of scrutiny on program delivery. Formal, rigorous program and project management meant construction on the TNRP was substantially completed in December 2014, six months ahead of the Federal funding deadline. Use of Primavera project management software to combine project time and cost information resulted in improved strategic decision-making across the TNRP. D SIXMONTHS EARLY
Department of Transport & Main Roads | FAST FACTS The reconstruction taskwas unprecedented, with the program delivered for about $6 billion. Works completed during the four-year program: • 8741km of the state-controlled road network • 1735 structures including bridges and culverts • 1421 locations requiring earthworks and batters • 3335 locations needing silt and debris cleared. The program has been a big undertaking by the department, in partnership with industry and the community. To facilitate this important relationship, industry was kept informed of program progress via industry briefings, which provided project updates and allowed critical planning to be undertaken. Better planning with industry enabled the program to maintain momentum on delivering reconstruction works. The packaging of works into larger contracts provided: • reduced costs around risks and delivery through sound procurement and contract management • economies of scale with works packaged according to location, reducing the overlap of contractors in some areas • sharing of resources between project sites. Regional project offices worked closely with local suppliers and neighbouring offices to program works so suppliers were not overloaded and rates inflated. Availability of asphalt and other materials was also considered to ensure there were no time delays resulting from large quantities of critical materials being unavailable. To reduce delays to motorists and deliver greater efficiencies, the department also delivered some of its regular program of federal and state government-funded road infrastructure projects in conjunction with reconstruction works. At times it was necessary to undertake works in areas near residential properties and those residents were particularly patient and understanding of the scale and duration of work required. Along with comprehensive and regular stakeholder communication, PARTNERINGWITH INDUSTRY AND THE COMMUNITY
| Department of Transport & Main Roads traffic management was a key focus with initiatives including: • convening local traffic coordination groups comprising departmental staff, emergency services, contractors and transport industry representatives, to manage potential for delays and safety risks for road users travelling through multiple projects in a district • reducing traffic delays by including sidetracks and detours around worksites and offering alternative heavy vehicle routes • updating roadworks maps weekly and circulated them to Oversized and Over Mass vehicle operators to alert them to width restrictions and site contacts • agreement with OSOM vehicle operators to call ahead to roadworks sites to enable contractors to manage wide loads • proactive communication and issuesmanagement including early consultation with key stakeholders, monthly email updates and newsletters for directly affected communities. It is estimated an average of 40,000 direct and indirect jobs were sustained over the life of the program. Many of these jobs were in regional and rural Queensland, supporting communities that had been impacted by REGIONAL JOBS BOOSTED
Department of Transport & Main Roads | disasters. In particular, the department recognised the extensive scope of works required presentedanopportunity to increase Indigenous employment across Queensland through the TNRP Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Employment Initiative. The program aligned with the federal government’s Closing the Gap initiative and TMR’s Reconciliation Action Plan, which encourages the employment and training of Indigenous people. Specific Indigenous employment levels were negotiated between the department and contractors, based on the project size, location and demographic availability of Indigenous candidates. When this initiative began in June 2011, TNRP set a target for the placement of 100 Indigenous workers. This goal was easily reached by September 2012 and by December 2014 the number of Indigenous employees and trainees on the program had more than tripled to 346, thanks to strong industry support.
| Department of Transport & Main Roads From concept to operations we can deliver Light Rail with you. Because Expertise Matters. www.interfleet.com.au Image courtesy of GoldLinQ SAFETY INNOVATION Given the scope and scale of works in the program, community and roadworker safety was also a high priority. This focus on safety led to a Queensland first in the form of new traffic signage aimed at reducing end-ofqueue incidents. The department devised ‘Turn on your hazard lights when queued’ signage in response to driver feedback. Feedback showed when approaching queues, motorists were not aware traffic had stopped as brake lights were not visible because most drivers in the queue had turned off their engines and applied hand brakes. Placed at roadworks site entry points, the ‘Turn on hazard lights when queued’ signage was an innovative and low-cost solution aimed at reducing end-of-queue incidents on rural roads. Since the introduction of the hazard light signage trial in that state’s southwest in March 2013, zero end-of-queue incidents have occurred – a great success. The initiative has since been rolled out to other districts.
Department of Transport & Main Roads |
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