The North–South Corridor is one of South Australia’s most important transport corridors and needs to handle increased traffic load due to projected growth. The Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure (DPTI) identified that the section between Torrens Road and the River Torrens was a high priority to upgrade. Thus the Torrens to Torrens, or ‘T2T’ project was born. The project would be delivered under an Alliance partnership to ensure best project outcomes. The Alliance comprised of CPB Contractors, Aurecon and DPTI.

SAGE was tasked with delivering the most advanced Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) available with a strong focus on safety in design and maintainability of the system for the end user. On top of this, the Alliance required the motorway to be future-proofed to enable rapid integration of future transport technologies.

SAGE delivered the ITS for the T2T managed motorway under the T2T Alliance. SAGE first and foremost focused on safety in design and maintenance, delivering a number of innovations that ensured it was operatable and maintainable.

ITS components integrated and installed:

• 56 Lane Use Management System (LUMS) signs
• 6 full colour, pictogram Variable Message Signs (VMS)
• 39 x CCTV cameras 
• 72 x Thermal Image Detection System (TIDS) cameras with 100% lowered motorway coverage
• 98 in pavement vehicle detection loops
• 4 pairs Infra-Red Traffic Loggers (IRTL)
• 12 Addinsight Bluetooth detection devices
• 23 custom, double skinned ITS cabinets with UPS back-up to all devices
• 4 large VMS cantilever gantry structures
• 7 x traffic signal extension enclosures
• 126 x custom built device enclosures

Cable Installation Terminates & Testing including:

• 71.3km of cabling for redundant network, power supply, and ITS devices.
  
  

Highlights

 1. Safety in Design
All devices are extra-low voltage (except VMS and LUMS), and the equipment controllers are accessible via the grade level road versus the lowered motorway. This ensures maintenance can occur without closing road or lanes, and the safety of maintenance personnel.

2. Future-proofed corridor
The managed motorway was built with spare network connectivity so that 95% of the fibre cores are available to use for rapid future technology deployment such as autonomous vehicles.

3. Uninterrupted Power Supply (UPS)
A minimum 4-hour battery backup in all field systems ensures the entire ITS network operates in a network or power failure. Other systems to-date have battery backup in VMS only, which means the system still goes down.

4. First motorway with 100% video incident detection
The thermal Video Incident Detection System detects slowing, stopped or wrong direction vehicles within 5-15 seconds. This fast-tracks incident response actions like notifying drivers of lane closures via the Lane Use Management System signs, reducing incident-related congestion and the stress it can cause.

5. Australian control panel manufacture
The SAGE developed all 23 custom, double skinned ITS cabinets’ electrical schematics, then manufactured them at SAGE’s Advanced Manufacturing facility in Adelaide.

6. Addinsight enabled
The motorway is equipped with bidirectional Addinsight Bluetooth capture stations which provide real-time traffic volume data for both the lower managed motorway and top roads.

7. Industry-first paperless commissioning and maintenance records
All commissioning was completed digitally, saving hundreds of reams of paper, and speeding up the process by reducing double handling.
In addition, SAGE provided digital equipment documentation for all ITS devices, accessible on-location via barcode and mobile phone - an industry first of its kind.
The paperless documentation system was transferred to the SAGE Go app at handover, which allows users to access all documentation, view cabinets by location, and lodge a breakdown or maintenance request.

8. Innovative Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT)
Comprehensive FAT of devices prior to field installation significantly reduced risk, sped up delivery and minimised traffic disruption by proving the whole system prior to deployment.
This approach has advanced best practice, and is used for other SAGE projects including Monash Freeway and Darlington.

Unique delivery partner

Alliance partnership
SAGE enjoyed working under the alliance delivery model, which was hugely successful due to its collaborative, best for project approach.

Australian Industry Participation
SAGE remains committed to exceeding industry participation for all its projects. SAGE employed and developed two young indigenous Australians in apprenticeships, and numerous graduate and work experience engineers who worked on the T2T project until final commissioning.

Integrated training
In a commitment to safety in design and maintainability of the system for the end user, SAGE ensured all DPTI personnel were trained prior to commissioning. SAGE’s training business Skills Lab, engaged DPTI early to tailor the operations and maintenance training.

Safety first at SAGE
The Alliance awarded SAGE an Outstanding Performance award for exemplifying the T2T Alliance core values, particularly in relation to its work around safety.

The managed motorway was delivered ahead of schedule, with minimal traffic disruption. It features a number of ITS innovations that improve road user experience and ensures safety, maintainability and future growth.

The ITS design and technologies have:

• contributed to reduced travel times by an estimated 7.5 minutes in peak hour
• provided a faster, safer travel experience for 51,000 daily drivers
• reduced incident related congestion: technology detects slowing, stopped or wrong direction vehicles within 5-15 seconds
• fast-tracked incident response actions via the Video Incident Detection System and Lane Use Management System signs
• enabled a fast-tracked, less disruptive rollout of new ITS technologies and autonomous vehicles

Project delivery

SAGE supported early design with two embedded ITS engineers working with the technical design team. Once an Issue for Construction was completed, SAGE developed the field cabinet electrical schematics, then manufactured them at SAGE’s Advanced Manufacturing facility in Adelaide. The cabinets and whole ITS system was comprehensively tested at the T2T FAT facility prior to deployment. Site installation included cabinet deployment, fibre installation, and deployment and connection of devices to the redundant network. Operations and maintenance training was delivered prior to final commissioning and completion in September 2018. SAGE provided ongoing consultation, stakeholder and project management.