When major slips occur, robust Temporary Traffic Management (TTM) is required to ensure the safe and efficient flow of vehicles, particularly when it’s needed on a long-term basis.
This was the case for Higgins Palmerston North, which was tasked with implementing a TTM system following a significant slip on State Highway 4, near Matahiwi (Te Ore Ore), that destroyed a large section of the road and forced its closure.
Finding a Safe Route
According to Waka Kotahi New Zealand Transport Agency, “the slip caused major disruption to iwi, the community, businesses, and tourists who frequent the road. Around 2,000 vehicles on average use the road daily”.
The closure meant that anyone travelling between Ohakune or Raetihi and Whanganui had to take a detour via Fields Track, which added at least an hour to their trip.
Once engineers had confirmed the area had stabilised, a temporary road reconnecting State Highway 4 Raetihi to Whanganui was opened in December 2019.
As a specialist in infrastructure and road maintenance, Higgins sought a TTM solution to manage traffic through this high-volume area for 12 months.
The team’s goal was to:
- Reduce speed near the slip site
- Create a clear lane delineation
- Manage traffic flow safely and efficiently
- Find a low-maintenance solution
An Effective, Low-Maintenance Solution
Higgins’s project manager consulted with Vanguard Group to find a TTM solution. After gaining an understanding of their situation and what the team set out to achieve, Higgins installed one of our Traffic Separator Systems, the Flexible Traffic Separator.
Also dubbed ‘the traffic snake’, the rubber separators work together as a robust interlocking system and are primarily used for vehicle/lane segregation, ensuring clear lane separation and preventing vehicles from crossing the centre line.
The reflective, flexible posts feature a quick-release system, allowing for easy removal and installation. The modular, recycled rubber base system can also be fixed for permanent or semi-permanent use, or laid loose for temporary situations.
As a smarter alternative to standard road cones, the flexible traffic separators were placed down the centerline of a 400m stretch of State Highway 4. Because they could be pinned to the road, they were more likely to remain in place, resulting in reduced maintenance.
Traffic Separators Review
Emergency Works Recovery Manager Malcolm Chiles said the flexible traffic separators were much safer and more effective for the project than cones, and prevented road users from having to take a lengthy detour.
The Outcome:
- Reduced vehicle speed
- Managed traffic flow
- Protected against hazards
- Easy installation and removal
- Long-term TTM support
- Reduced maintenance
“We have undertaken maintenance on the base units and replaced missing posts approximately 6-8 times over this period [but] if we had used cones, maintenance would have been required probably every day!”
Vanguard’s Traffic Separator and Ultra-Separator systems are now approved for use under the draft M23 Appendix F standard (page 20).
Got a project or site that needs safe and efficient safety controls? Not sure which TTM solution is the right choice for your site? Get in touch with our team, we’re here to help.
Related Content: “TTM Risk: How to Choose the Right Traffic Controls for Your Site”.
