Glossary

Word Definition
Bypass An alternative route that enables through-traffic to avoid urban areas
Carriageway The portion of a road or bridge devoted to the use of vehicles, inclusive of shoulders and auxiliary lanes
Community Engagement Involving communities when prioritising and developing services in their own area. This includes consultation as well as more active processes so that communities can help to formulate plans or influence local developments.
Corporate Governance The way we balance compliance against risk-taking as we direct, control and are held accountable for our performance
Freeway A divided highway for through-traffic with no access for traffic between interchanges and with grade separation at all intersections
Grade Separation The separation of road, rail or other traffic so that crossing movements, which would otherwise conflict, are at different elevations
Highway Highways provide connection between capital cities. They are also principal routes between a city and the major producing regions of the state. Highways also service major transport terminals or significant commercial and industrial centres.
Incidence Rate The number of lost-time injury/diseases divided by the number of employees * 100
iRoads Our Main Roads employee intranet
Main Road A principal road in the road system
Maintenance The work on an existing road and infrastructure to maintain its efficiency or quality
Median A strip of road that separates carriageways for traffic in opposite directions
MyHR Main Roads HR self-service interface system for employees
Overlay The addition of one or more courses of pavement material to an existing road surface to increase strength, and/or to improve ride quality
Overtaking/Passing Lane An auxiliary lane provided for slower vehicles to allow them to be overtaken
Pavement The portion of a carriageway placed above the levelled surface or earth or rock for the support of, and to form a running surface for, vehicular traffic
Performance Indicator A simple measure that allows objective comparisons such as road maintenance costs per kilometre in a region. This can then be compared to other regions and monitored.
Realignment A change in the geometric form of the original centre-line of a carriageway with respect to the vertical and horizontal axes
Seal A thin surface layer of sprayed bitumen – a viscous liquid or solid impure mixture, consisting of hydrocarbons and their derivatives, used for road surfacing
Stakeholder Individuals or groups of people with a direct interest, involvement, or investment in something
Strategy How a broad objective will be approached
Sustainability The long-term balance of social, environmental, and economic factors into our activities, decision-making and investment processes
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