Macedon Ranges’ worst roads have been revealed as part of the state government’s release of the Australian Road Assessment Program (AusRAP) road safety star ratings.
AusRAPis a globally recognised risk-rating system designed by the International Road Assessment Program (iRAP). Used in about 130 countries, the iRAP protocols help road authorities identify safety upgrades that will reduce road deaths and injuries. AusRAP ratings show where the risk of fatal or serious injury is greatest across the road network.
This information is laid onto an interactive online map, which details the ratings of major roads across the state.
Bacchus Marsh-Gisborne Road, Gisborne, Cameron Drive, Mount Macedon, Woodend-Lancefield Road and Lancefield-Toborac roads, Lancefield, Tylden-Woodend Road, Tylden, Kyneton-Trentham Road and Burton Avenue, Kyneton all received a one star black rating, meaning drivers on these roads are at greatest risk, according to the data.
The ratings are calculated using a range of risk factors and information, including average daily traffic, speed limit, number of lanes in each direction, lane width, shoulder width, presence or absence of roadside barriers and audio tactile markings, gradient and curvature, quality of line-markings, skid resistance, and provisions for pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists.
RACV head of policy James Williams said the release of AusRAP ratings was an important step towards improving road safety and reducing the risk of serious injury and fatalities on Victorian roads.
“We know that some roads are safer than others, and these star ratings give us the evidence to prove it,” he said.
“Each additional star rating halves the risk of deaths or serious injuries. Upgrading a road from two stars to three stars halves the number of serious crashes likely to occur.
“We know that there are limited funds for road upgrades, and AusRAP provides governments with the data to be more targeted and to make decisions from a safety-first perspective.”
RACV said it supports upgrading all major roads to a minimum three-star AusRAP safety rating, with all new roads designed and built to at least four stars.
Details: https://storymaps.arcgis.com/collections/98420a25d82542f1b2a9922925972c28?item=1
