Road managers and freight operators are being called on to get involved in phase two of a Commonwealth project to improve heavy vehicle access.
The Strategic Local Government Asset Assessment Project (SLGAAP) was established by the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) in 2019 with $8 million in Commonwealth funding.
The intended outcomes of the project are to:
- Identify the capacity of current and potential heavy vehicle routes on key local government roads;
- Undertake engineering assessments to quantify the potential capacity of key local government-owned road assets;
- Provide a single point for the collection, storage and sharing of road asset information for the benefit of heavy vehicle operators, road managers and regulatory partners; and
- Provide a resource toolkit to assist road managers with road asset assessment and decision-making regarding heavy vehicle access.
Federal Assistant Minister for Road Safety and Freight Transport Scott Buchholz said this week that phase one of the project is well underway, with 100 bridges and culverts across 12 councils now being assessed by engineers.
“Now, we want to hear from industry, operators and drivers about those assets that should be looked at in phase two, to make our freight routes more productive for the benefit of the whole industry.
“If there is a bridge on your route that is underutilised or that you would use if you knew it was available, let the NHVR know about it.”
Visit the SLGAAP project site to view the full list of councils and the assets involved in the pilot or to submit an expression of interest in phase two of the project.
Alternatively, contact the NHVR Strategic Local Government Asset Assessment Project team on roadassetproject@nhvr.gov.au or call 1300 696 487.