With Australian cities facing substantial population growth and transport demand already outstripping supply, tunnels will play a key role in addressing urban mobility challenges.
By 2023, with the completion of NorthConnex and the Government’s WestConnex in Sydney, the total kilometres of tolled motorway-grade tunnels in Australia will increase from 33 kilometres to more than 60.
Transurban’s NorthConnex and West Gate Tunnel projects will feature a range of cutting-edge smart motorway technologies.
These technologies will use real-time information to evaluate traffic conditions, and actively manage demand on the motorway.
The control systems we install as part of these projects will be able to respond automatically if there is a traffic incident or congestion by closing lanes for safety or regulating the flow of traffic entering the motorway.
Motorway networks are critical to the effective operation of a city and once built, a tunnel operates for decades – potentially into the next century – so it needs to be built to last and adapt. As we consider the motorways and tunnels that will support our cities into the future getting the tech fit-out right will be critical to prepare for change and adaptability.
Connected and autonomous vehicles (CAVs) are now in real-world testing and the implications of transport operators are considerable. CAVs are predicted to generate around 4,000 gigabytes of data daily as they scan and navigate the roadway– that’s the equivalent to around 3,000 internet users.
Ultimately, automated vehicles will communicate with each other and road infrastructure, which will enhance safety for road users. The now commonly used terms of vehicle to vehicle (V2V) and vehicle to infrastructure (V2X) communication.
As a road operator we are considering how to prepare our tunnels and other road infrastructure to support the V2X communication, as well as ensuring CAVs can continuously access wireless communications networks.
The type of systems currently installed in most tunnels, simply do not have the capacity to facilitate these requirements.
As we prepare for the future, road operators, technology specialists and tunnelling experts have an opportunity to come together and determine the right path forward.
I look forward to continuing to work hand in hand with my engineering colleagues to develop the standards and protocols that will support these changes.
