We saw our first Smart Freeway go live on Kwinana Freeway Northbound in August 2020. Since that time, we have been fine tuning the system and operations to help traffic run smoothly and safely.
We listened to road user feedback requesting communication improvements and additional messaging on our road network. Opportunities were identified to improve the user experience, including the implementation of colour coded travel times, digital symbols and flashing speed limit signs, while rolling out travel time technology at even more locations.
Upgrades to our existing technology mean that the large digital message boards now display travel times in colour varying from green, amber or red depending on conditions. This allows drivers to make informed decisions based on predicted travel times, potentially reducing the time spent in unexpected congestion. New digital symbols are now used on Smart Freeway large digital message boards to increase awareness of incident notifications.
This technology allows the use of easy to identify symbols along with some text to enhance our messaging.
Another improvement is the adoption of flashing speed limit signs. Overhead electronic signs on the Smart Freeway mostly display speed limits relevant to that section of freeway. However, they can be changed by our operators in response to traffic build-ups or incidents on the freeway - slowing vehicles to allow the clearing of traffic ahead.
When speed limits are changed, the inner red circle surrounding the numbers on the overhead speed limit signs now continuously flash until reverting to normal speed limits.
These enhancements help improve driver awareness and road safety by making it more obvious that the speed limit has changed.
Given the positive impact the new estimated travel time display for key destinations has had on the daily commute, in January this year we rolled out this technology on a further 50 existing variable message signs across the metropolitan road network in Perth.
This project is just one of many where the public will see improvements via the use of technology to meet our Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) Masterplan Vision of “World class mobility for Western Australians across an intelligent, safe, sustainable and optimised network”.