Data analysis and process automation identifies routes for state investment

State Road Bypass Identification

Heavy traffic can be a challenge at the best of times. To speed up a review of freight routes throughout New South Wales (NSW) to make local communities safer, Transport for New South Wales (TfNSW) needed our assistance with analysing heavy traffic data. They wanted to identify where specific classes of heavy and oversize vehicles had permission to travel on roads maintained by local councils, with a view to transferring control to the State.

Using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and data analytics, we searched within the GIS data to identify where any heavy vehicle routes diverged from state roads. We created an automated report for each instance that includes a map with route details, such as street names and distances. Automating the system was also beneficial in facilitating code adjustments, which meant we could accommodate TfNSW’s request for output changes late in the project. Instead of undertaking a manual data recapture exercise, we could simply rerun calculations.

TfNSW is using the reports to inform discussions with local councils on identified routes. With access to state investment, roads can receive the appropriate level of maintenance and upgrade, improving safety for NSW communities.