Ap R217 03

AP-R217
ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR PLANNING AND DESIGN OF ROADS
AUSTROADS
Environmental Considerations for Planning and Design of Roads First Published 2003
Austroads Inc. 2003 This work is copyright. Apart from any use as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, no part may be reproduced by any process without the prior written permission of Austroads.
National Library of Australia Cataloguing-in-Publication data: Environmental Considerations for Planning and Design of Roads ISBN 0 85588 651 X Austroads Project No. T&E.D.C.003 Austroads Publication No. APR217/03
Project Manager Carrick Stokoe, DMR Qld Prepared by Neil Houghton, ARRB Transport Research Evan Styles, ARRB Transport Research Craig Lester, ARRB Transport Research Jencie McRobert, ARRB Transport Research Published by Austroads Incorporated Level 9, Robell House 287 Elizabeth Street Sydney NSW 2000 Australia Phone: +61 2 9264 7088 Fax: +61 2 9264 1657 Email: austroads@austroads.com.au www.austroads.com.au
Austroads believes this publication to be correct at the time of printing and does not accept responsibility for any consequences arising from the use of information herein. Readers should rely on their own skill and judgement to apply information to particular issues.
Sydney 2003
AUSTROADS PROFILE
Austroads is the association of Australian and New Zealand road transport and traffic authorities whose purpose is to contribute to the achievement of improved Australian and New Zealand transport related outcomes by: developing and promoting best practice for the safe and effective management and use of the road system providing professional support and advice to member organisations and national and international bodies acting as a common vehicle for national and international action fulfilling the role of the Australian Transport Councils Road Modal Group undertaking performance assessment and development of Australian and New Zealand standards developing and managing the National Strategic Research Program for roads and their use.
Within this ambit, Austroads aims to provide strategic direction for the integrated development, management and operation of the Australian and New Zealand road system through the promotion of national uniformity and harmony, elimination of unnecessary duplication, and the identification and application of world best practice.
AUSTROADS MEMBERSHIP
Austroads membership comprises the six State and two Territory road transport and traffic authorities and the Commonwealth Department of Transport and Regional Services in Australia, the Australian Local Government Association and Transit New Zealand. It is governed by a council consisting of the chief executive officer (or an alternative senior executive officer) of each of its eleven member organisations: Roads and Traffic Authority New South Wales Roads Corporation Victoria Department of Main Roads Queensland Main Roads Western Australia Department of Transport and Urban Planning South Australia Department of Infrastructure, Energy and Resources Tasmania Department of Infrastructure, Planning and Environment Northern Territory Department of Urban Services Australian Capital Territory Commonwealth Department of Transport and Regional Services Australian Local Government Association Transit New Zealand
The success of Austroads is derived from the synergies of interest and participation of member organisations and others in the road industry.
Environmental Considerations for Planning and Design of Roads Section A
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PREFACE
Austroads project T&E.D.C.003 Environmental Considerations for Planning and Design of Roads has been an adventurous undertaking. This document will provide a bridge between the disciplines of environment and the planning and design of roads to optimise the transport outcome given the need for environmental sensitivity. The development of road infrastructure, from planning and design through to construction and maintenance, has significant potential to adversely affect the surrounding environment. The potential for environmental change, and the necessary actions to minimise impacts, may vary greatly between the wide variety of environments found within the Australian landscape. For example, requirements for environmentally sensitive road planning, design, construction and maintenance will clearly be different for a coastal area in Queensland prone to Acid Sulfate Soils, and an inland area in South Australia susceptible to Dieback. Every road project has its own unique environmental challenges that are influenced not only by characteristics of the local landscape, but also by the way in which changes in one location may influence the environment in other locations over different time scales. A good example of this is dryland salinity where road design needs to be undertaken in a catchment wide context. The nature of groundwater flow systems means that the time lags between changes to the land surface that lead to a salinity problem in one area, can be very long (usually over decades) and the causes of salinity in a particular location may, in fact, be located many hundreds of kilometres away from the problem location. This report and the accompanying CD-ROM is intended as a resource for planners and designers. The document is intended as a bridge between the planning and design phases of a road development project. In some agencies there are clear distinctions between the planning and design phases, while the differences are not as distinct in other agencies. The report covers a broad range of environmental issues in different environmental settings and is aimed at raising environmental awareness. The object is to provide an environmental context for the planning and design phases. For example, designers may use the report to increase their understanding of environmental considerations and issues raised during the planning phase within planning documents such as a Review of Environmental Factors or Environmental Impact Statements, and encourage them to discuss options with environmental experts. The report is not intended as a comprehensive environmental manual, and given the scope of the project, it is not feasible to cover all the environmental issues that may arise in any given road development project. The scope of the issues covered was identified through an agency survey undertaken as part of the data collection stage of the project. Therefore, the content reflects the range of issues, materials and data sources provided during the survey and hence assumed that these are foremost in the minds of the various agencies today. Additional data sources have been used to complement these materials. However, a document of this type cannot provide access to all relevant data sources so hyperlinks (for example, to relevant Internet sites) are provided throughout the document to refer the reader to additional information. It is intended that further development of the resource set be undertaken to enhance the materials and extend the coverage. The document is not a one-stop shop environmental manual for road planners and designers, nor is it a detailed technical design manual there are numerous design documents and technical notes available in each agency which cover design issues such as sight distance or horizontal alignment for example, in detail. The purpose of this document is to provide access to environmental information which will cause the planners and designers to professionally assess the various standards and to optimise the design to minimise the environmental impacts. It is implicit in this assumption that the planner or designer understands the underlying methodology on which the standards have been created and can make changes to meet environmental concerns without compromising safety etc.
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To aid the reader in accessing information relevant to the topic of interest, a Visual Basic for Applications Excel navigation program has been developed which is included on the CD-ROM. This program can be used to navigate the CD-ROM to find materials on a topic of interest using keywords or menus. The program can also be used to jump to a section of interest within an electronic version.
CD-ROM setup and user manual

For instructions on setting up and using the accompanying software, please refer to the User Guide.doc file on the CD-ROM.
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To The Reader
This report includes a reference CD-ROM that is intended as a resource for people within local government and road and transport agencies involved in the planning and design of roads. The CD-ROM is not intended as a definitive planning and design manual, but as a resource providing additional information (including Adobe Acrobat Portable Document Format files and internet sites) relating to the topic areas covered within the report. The information provided should be considered as a starting point and the reader is encouraged to add additional information, resources, references and Internet addresses discovered from time to time in their work, using the User Notes sheet. The report is divided into three parts: Part A introduces a broad range of environmental considerations arising in the planning and design of roads. A simple roadmap is presented as an organising framework for the various Guides contained in Part B. The framework uses two dimensions to organise the information based on environmental issue (air, water, land, biodiversity, heritage, resources and amenity) and the road management phase (planning, design, construction, maintenance). Part B includes a series of Guides that focus on selected environmental issues. They are intended to illustrate best practice road planning and design with respect to selected environmental topic areas. Part B is only found on the CD-ROM. Part C contains a set of Technical Notes and Case Studies that provide additional information for the interested reader. Part C is only found on the CD-ROM.
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CONTENTS
SECTION A
SECTION A1
1. INTRODUCTION 1.1 Structure of the Report and Guidelines 1.2 Why Do We Need to Consider Environmental Best Practice for Road Planning and Design? ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR ROAD PLANNING AND DESIGN 2.1 Introduction 2.2 Aspects of an Environmentally Sensitive Area 2.3 Purpose of Report 2.4 Road Project Delivery Phases 2.4.1 Transport SA Environmental Approvals Procedures 2.4.2 Environmental Guidelines for Land Transport Infrastructure Projects 2.4.3 Project Phases 2.4.4 Planning Phase 2.4.5 Design phase 2.4.6 Construction phase 2.4.7 Maintenance phase 2.5 Environmental Risk Management 2.5.1 Nonfeasance Indemnity 2.5.2 Protected Areas 2.5.3 Non-protected Areas 2.6 Report Framework 1 1 3 4 4 5 5 7 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 16 16 22 23 24 24 25 26 26 27
2.
REFERENCES Land Management Air Quality Biodiversity Human Environment Road Design Road Function and Safety Case Studies
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INTRODUCTION
Road and transport agencies in Australia recognise the need to implement best practice road planning and design processes, methodologies, standards and techniques. This report, as an output of the Austroads Project T&E.D.C.003 Environmental Considerations for Planning and Design of Roads, provides a set of resources to assist road planners and designers integrate environmental considerations into their planning and design activities. The report is intended to be useful for people involved in the planning and design of roads within road and transport agencies and practitioners within local government 1 . The project includes a reference CD-ROM that is not intended as a definitive planning and design manual, but as a resource to assist road and transport agencies and local government to identify appropriate manuals and technical data. To assist the reader, this report (and the CD-ROM) contains a number of references and hyperlinks to additional data sources. Such a resource can never be comprehensive and up to date. Therefore, the reader is encouraged to identify additional information sources so that the resource base can be updated over time.
1.1 Structure of the Report and Guidelines

This report and accompanying CD-ROM are structured to provide accessible information on the management of environmental issues for road planners and designers. The CD-ROM structure is as follows: Project Report Part A Part B Part C Resource Folder Air Water Land Biodiversity Resources Heritage Amenity Processes Additional Case Studies 2 Additional Technical Notes
An example of the needs of local government is contained within the Shire of Yarra Ranges Code of Environmental Practice for Works on Council Controlled Land (including roadsides). The Code is available at the following URL (http://www.yarraranges.vic.gov.au/upload/ACF11A1.pdf ). 2 Case Studies developed in a previous Austroads project (Case Studies of Successful Environmental Management) have been included on the CDROM for reference purposes.
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The report is divided into three parts. Part A introduces a simple framework for describing environmental considerations that need to be addressed in the road planning and design process. The framework uses air, water, land, biodiversity, resources, heritage and amenity to classify environmental considerations. This enables additional guides (see Part B) to be developed over time as future project resources allow. Additional Resources on the CD-ROM may be accessed via these framework classifications. Part A also introduces agency planning processes. Part B includes a series of guides that focus on selected environmental issues. They are intended to illustrate best practice road planning and design with respect to selected environmental topic areas. The guides include a brief overview of selected legislation relating to each topic to emphasise the implications of legislation on road planning and design activities. However, the reader is referred to relevant legislative registers in each state to obtain complete and up to date information. The Part B guides are not intended to provide a comprehensive coverage of all air, water, land, biodiversity, resource, heritage and amenity issues that are likely to arise in road planning and design. The Part B guides provided include: Guide 1. Consultation Guide 2. Acid sulfate soils Guide 3. Salinity and Waterlogging Guide 4. Expansive Soils Guide 5. Erosion and Sedimentation Guide 6. Water Quality Guide 7. Vegetation Management Guide 8. Fauna Sensitive Road Design Guide 9. Air Quality Guide 10. Built Environment Guide 11. Heritage
Part C contains a set of Technical Notes and Case Studies that provide additional information for the interested reader. Technical Note C1, for example, introduces the Reader to international, national and state legislative framework for areas that have environmental significance. The Part C Case Studies have been based on materials provided by the road and transport agencies during the survey stage of this project. Selected keywords are included to provide the Reader with a summary of the key issues covered in each case. Case Study 1 Keywords: Road upgrade, wilderness area, tourism, threatened species, translocation, habitat disturbance, road kill, road alignment operating speed, superelevation, stopping sight distance, safety, planning study, environmental planning report. Case Study 2 Keywords: Sensitive land uses, recreational reserve, landscaping, aesthetics, noise, creek realignment, water quality, aboriginal heritage, traffic flow, environmental management plan, stormwater management, drainage strategy. Case Study 3 Keywords: World heritage, Wet tropics, biogeographical region, high rainfall intensity, roads in the wet tropics, erosion control, sediment control, fauna crossings, acid sulfate soils, landscape management.
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Case Study 4 Keywords: Resource management, non-renewable resources, recycled materials, low level contaminated soil, land disturbance, spoil management, waste disposal, weeds, fungal diseases. Case Study 5 Keywords: Route selection, route options, tunnels, revegetation, visual intrusion, aesthetics, blending design with character of location, erosion control. Case Study 6 Keywords: Natural resource values, native vegetation, roadsides, nature based tourism, wildlife, riverine ecology, biodiversity conservation, visitor management, environmental factors influencing geometric road design parameters (operating speed, alignment, cross section), value management study, archaeological survey, Environmental Management Plan (Construction). Case Study 7 Keywords: Wetlands, remnant vegetation, fauna management, exclusion fences, underpasses, limit-of-works, reserve boundary, environmental management plan. Case Study 8 Keywords: Roadside management, flora and fauna conservation, special environmental area, roadscape management plan, road information management system.
The enclosed CD-ROM includes a navigator which allows the reader to search the contents of the CD-ROM. In addition to the project reports contained in Parts B and C, other information and resources have been provided on the CD-ROM. Also, where possible, an abstract is provided for the references and information sources included on the CD-ROM. It is intended that this information be used to supplement existing agency information and guidelines.
1.2 Why Do We Need to Consider Environmental Best Practice for Road Planning and Design?
Environmental considerations for the planning and design of roads reviewed in this Report are intended to have wide application in many different areas and across many different jurisdictions. The legislative framework in each jurisdiction generally provides a framework of control on the planning process. In general, road designers will focus on the design brief (in particular the functional purpose of the road), but they should be aware of the broader environmental context (and the legislative requirements) that may lead to specific requirements or conditions identified in the planning phase. Legislation changes rapidly in each jurisdiction and registers are maintained by each agency as part of their environmental management system. Parts B and C of this Report introduce selected elements of the legislative framework but the Reader is referred to state based registers for up to date information. While the focus is on achieving environmental best practice within areas that may contain environmentally sensitive or significant resources, it is important to recognise the desired social, economic and environmental outcomes from the provision and use of the road system. In particular, there is a need to recognise how environmental considerations apply to both sealed and unsealed roads. Road planners and designers need to be aware of the broader context and the need to improve the sustainability of the transport system. This includes environmental best practice (for example, in relation to air quality, water quality, land management, biodiversity conservation, resource management and energy minimisation), improved road user outcomes (for example, in relation to safety and the level of service) and desired community outcomes in relation to heritage protection, quality of life, amenity and economic development.
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2.
ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS for ROAD PLANNING and DESIGN
2.1 Introduction
Road planning and design is concerned with achieving best practice environmental risk management in the planning, design, construction and maintenance phases of a road project. Road planners and designers have a vital role to play in outcomes achieved in the construction and maintenance phases. Some issues will reside predominantly within one phase (such as construction phase dust control for example). However, it is important for road planners and designers to be aware of the interactions between road project delivery phases. For example, an issue such as erosion control may be addressed in the planning and design phases (relating to permanent erosion control structures), as well as in the construction phase (relating to temporary erosion control measures). The key that links these issues together is risk management. The use of the risk management concept is particularly important since it recognises that potential environmental harm in an area depends not only on the type of activities undertaken, but also the environmental sensitivity and the severity or extent of any adverse consequences associated with these activities. Furthermore, the risk management concept emphasises that all areas can be environmentally sensitive and a best practice road design process will involve the application of appropriate environmental management approaches based on the levels of the environmental risks present. The Report emphasises that all road planning and design projects involve some level of environmental disturbance. The sensitivity of the environment, the likelihood of environmental impacts occurring and the severity (or consequences) of any environmental impacts are all factors determining the level of environmental risk associated with the road project. For example, areas listed under the World Heritage convention contain environmental or cultural values that are outstanding and universal. The environmental and cultural sensitivities of these areas are very high. Other areas may contain national, historic and indigenous heritage values and may include regions or specific sites, which are important for local communities. These areas have high environmental sensitivity due to the unique nature of the environmental resources present and are usually protected under specific legislation. For example, the Wet Tropics in Queensland is protected under the Wet Tropics World Heritage Protection and Management Act 1993. The Nature Conservation Act 1992 also provides for the other protected areas in Queensland including National Parks, Conservation Parks, Resources refuges, Coordinated Conservation Areas, Wilderness Areas, World Heritage Management Areas and International Agreement Areas. Other areas may have different environmental sensitivities that lead to different levels of risk and potential environmental harm. These areas may not be protected by specific legislation but fall within the general environmental protection legislation within different jurisdictions. For example, the Queensland Environmental Protection Act 1994 includes a duty to prevent environmental harm or an adverse impact on any environmental value (including ecosystems, natural and physical resources, biodiversity, characteristics of an area or place and the social, economic and cultural conditions). Road planning and design requires best practice environmental risk management. All areas are potentially environmentally sensitive.
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2.2 Aspects of an Environmentally Sensitive Area

What makes an area environmentally sensitive? The previous section noted that all areas are potentially environmentally sensitive. However, there are a number of aspects that may contribute to particular sensitivities. Some of these are shown in Table 1.
Table 1 Environmental Aspects Aspect Comment
Geology and Soils Climate Landform/ Topography Land Use Biodiversity Heritage
Geological features, Soil type (including reference to erosion potential and other soil characteristics eg. salinity, expansive soils, erodible soils, dispersible soils) Rainfall intensity, arid zones, freeze zones. Climates (in particular temperature and rainfall) are key drivers of road pavement performance. Plains, hills, mountains, valleys, floodplains, morphology Existing land uses (eg. private property) Flora and fauna values, Vegetation classes (endangered, vulnerable, depleted, rare), Grasslands, Forests, Woodlands, Rainforests Existence of heritage values (including natural, historic, archaeological, cultural and indigenous heritage). Any sensitive area protected by legislation such as Wet Tropics in Queensland, reserves, National Parks, and areas subject to international agreements and conventions Traffic noise and amenity impacts in urban and regional areas, Catchments providing water quality functions, surface waters, groundwater, marine areas, coastal zones, mangroves, wetlands, estuaries, riparian zones Landscape values (eg. for tourism and regional development), Viewscape values (eg. based on the visual sensitivity and the extent of modification of the natural condition), Cultural landscapes (eg. Kata Tjuta National Park)
Social Values Water Resources Landscape
2.3 Purpose of Report

Road project delivery spans the planning, design, construction and maintenance phases. This Report places an emphasis on the planning and design phases but also acknowledges that environmental considerations arise in all phases of road project delivery. Some issues may be a priority within one phase while others may span multiple phases. For example, the translocation of noxious weeds from the movement of construction vehicles may require specific vehicle and wheel wash-down measures for prevention. Dust nuisance during construction may be an issue depending on existing soil types, extent of land clearance and prevailing weather conditions. Specific dust suppression measures may be used during the construction activities. Potential acid sulfate soils may be exposed to the atmosphere during construction activities, which involve excavation, or in maintenance activities associated with the cleaning of table drains in low lying areas. Significant environmental harm may result from road activities that disturb acid sulfate soils, therefore, identification of this risk is important in the planning phase. The best practice response is the preparation of an Acid Sulfate Soils management plan, which describes the necessary precautions and procedures.
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The intended readership of this Report includes road planners and road designers. The Report emphasises that environmental management is not just a matter for environmental professionals when road projects are undertaken within or near environmentally sensitive areas. Rather, the road planner and designer need to integrate environmental considerations into their road planning and design processes for all road projects. The types of issues considered and the management responses will be determined by the environmental risk exposure. Typically, for major projects, each agency implements a formal environmental assessment process that identifies significant environmental issues associated with each phase of a road project. Key documents including the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and Environmental Management Plan (EMP) are likely to be a source of good environmental design solutions for different environmental aspects. However, in many smaller projects this formal environmental review process is not undertaken to the same extent. The Guides contained in this Report are expected to assist with these smaller projects where the level of environmental assessment is typically not as detailed. It should be noted that the Guides are not intended to replace any of the existing environmental assessment procedures within each jurisdiction. The Report is not intended as a detailed design manual but should complement the road and environmental design manuals currently available in each jurisdiction. Each road agency has existing detailed road design standards and technical notes that cover different aspects of road design (such as vertical and horizontal geometry, or operating speed). In addition, each agency has an Environmental Management System, which contains detailed environmental procedures for each activity that has the potential to impact upon an environmental value. (See, for example, http://www.rta.nsw.gov.au/environment/downloads/enviromgt_manual.pdf). It is not the purpose of this Report to replace or duplicate any of this material. The Report is intended as a reference for planners and designers. The Report cannot cover all environmental issues that are likely to be relevant during the planning, design, construction and maintenance phases of a road project. However, a simple framework, guiding questions and specific Guides are provided to assist in identifying the issues that need to be considered. The framework also provides a way to structure the information presented so it can be added to and expanded over time. Selected Guides are provided that contain short guidelines and pointers to alert the road planner and designer to specific environmental concerns. References to existing key documents are provided to enable the road planner and designer to increase their knowledge of the interactions between road planning, road design and the environment. The issues selected and described in the Report have been identified based on a survey of Austroads Member Authorities including road design and environmental professionals. For some environmental issues more detailed information is provided. In other cases, environmental issues are raised as an alert to the road planning and design practitioner. In such cases the road planner or designer may contact an environmental specialist to obtain further guidance on dealing with specific environmental concerns. Additional information is available in a range of sources within each Authority including: Strategic plans Environmental Effects Statements Environmental Planning Reports Environmental Management Plans Policies Codes of practice Technical reports Guidelines Design manuals Operational Instructions Information bulletins
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2.4 Road Project Delivery Phases

Each state has a legislative framework for ensuring environmentally responsible planning and design activities. Legislation within each state changes frequently and the Reader is referred to local state registers for up to date and detailed information. The following examples illustrate some of the key legislation in each state and provide links to current developments and resources. In South Australia the Development Act 1993 administered by Planning SA, http://www.planning.sa.gov.au/ In Queensland. Integrated Planning Act 1997 (http://www.legislation.qld.gov.au/LEGISLTN/CURRENT/I/IntegPlanA97_04L_030516.pdf) administered by the Department of Local Government and Planning, http://www.ipa.qld.gov.au/main/ipaLinks.asp Victoria Department of Infrastructure http://www.doi.vic.gov.au/doi/internet/planning.nsf Planning WA http://www.planning.wa.gov.au// In Northern Territory, the Planning Act and the Environmental Assessment Act are administered by the Department of Infrastructure, Planning and Environment, http://www.lpe.nt.gov.au/default.htm. Legislation is available at http://notes.nt.gov.au/dcm/legislat/legislat.nsf?OpenDatabase In NSW planning and development is carried out under the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 and Environmental Planning and Assessment Regulation 2000. See Planning NSW, http://www.planning.nsw.gov.au/. The Department of Urban Affairs and Planning (DUAP) has also developed a new planning framework called PlanFirst details of which are available at the following URL: http://www.duap.nsw.gov.au/planfirst/pdf/white_paper_final.pdf. In Tasmania, land developments are controlled by the Resource Management and Planning System which includes the Land Use Planning and Approvals Act 1993, and the Environmental Management and Pollution Control Act 1994. (See http://www.dier.tas.gov.au/index.html)
Planning and development guidelines within each state are available. The following sections provide two examples from Transport SA and Tasmanian Department of Infrastructure, Energy and Resources relating to land transport infrastructure projects.
2.4.1 Transport SA Environmental Approvals Procedures
The Transport SA Environmental Approvals Procedures Operational Instruction 21.1 (TSA, 2000) describe the main steps for environmental assessment and approval for infrastructure projects. The procedures form part of the TSA Environmental Management System (EMS). The Environmental Approval Procedures also provide a guide to the following: Environmental Impact Assessment Documentation and Approvals. Depending on the scale and nature of the project, and the potential environmental impacts, varying levels of documentation and approvals are required. This may extend from the preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement and approval under the Development Act 1993 for projects of major economic, social and environmental significance, to preparation of an Environmental Planning Report or Environmental Impact Assessment Report and internal agency approval for projects with less significant environmental impacts.
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A Checklist of Environmental Factors. The document provides a guide and checklist of environmental factors that should be addressed during the planning and design of the project. Project issues that should be considered include land clearing and earthworks, cut and fill, drainage, material stockpiles, access changes etc. Environmental issues that should be considered including heritage, native title, fauna and flora, water quality, soil erosion and drainage management, noise, air quality, contaminated land, waste management and community consultation. Evaluation should include assessing the need for the project and alternative options, and where appropriate mitigation measures. References are included to more detailed agency guidelines on each of these issues. Request forms for preparation of an Aboriginal Heritage Survey, Vegetation Removal Request, Land Contamination Site History Report Request and an EPA Earthworks and Drainage Licence are also included. Environmental Management Plans. As outlined in the TSA Environmental Management Plan Guidelines for Construction TSA (1997b) Environmental Management Plans should be prepared at the planning phase to document the environmental management and mitigation works required during design, construction and operation of the project.
Environmental Guidelines for Land Transport Infrastructure Projects
2.4.2
The Environmental Guide for Land Transport Infrastructure Projects (DIER, 2001) is part of the implementation of an Environmental Management System for the Department of Infrastructure Energy and Resources in Tasmania. The guidelines are targeted at land transport infrastructure projects that may include a broad range of environmentally sensitive areas. The document provides guidelines for managing roads, bridges and other transport infrastructure. A series of environmental management tools are provided to carry out transport infrastructure design, construction and maintenance. The tools include a preliminary environmental checklist, guidelines for the preparation of a Development Proposal and Environmental Management Plan, and a series of references relating to best practice environmental management (with specific focus on flora, fauna, roadside management, heritage, soil quality, waste management, water quality, erosion and sediment control, noise and community consultation). The Environmental Guidelines also provide a discussion of best practice expectations and provides a series of references for selected environmental issues. These include fauna, flora and roadside management, heritage, soil quality, waste management, water quality, erosion and sediment control, noise and community consultation. The Environmental Guidelines for Infrastructure Projects Guidelines examines three stages of the road design process: (1) Project Initiation and Assessment; (2) Preliminary Project Design; and (3) Detailed Design and Construction. In the first stage, the guidelines suggest undertaking a feasibility study that examines the project rationale, sustainability issues, environmental and community issues. In the second stage, the phases undertaken include the definition of the concept, which must consider all options including road alignments, number of lanes, speed limits and other design parameters. Agreeing a preferred design will require community consultation, development of exclusion criteria and ranking criteria to evaluate the options, as well as specialist environmental studies culminating in an Environmental Management Plan. In the third stage construction work specifications and a construction schedule that explicitly addresses environmental requirements is required. Typically a Construction Environmental Management Plan is prepared.
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2.4.3
Project Phases
The major phases of road project delivery include: Planning Design Construction Maintenance
Activities undertaken in each of these phases may affect the environment including, for example, air, water, land and biodiversity resources. Impacts may also occur on cultural heritage or archaeological values or through changes to landscape and visual amenity. In addition, resource management issues (relating to the availability of local road construction materials and use of recycled materials) need to be considered. Box 1 provides a list of typical environmental considerations in the road planning and design phases. Strategic planning is a separate activity that may provide an overarching statement of goals and high level objectives that can be used in the project planning phase. The planning phase of any project should identify the benefits and impacts of the project. This phase will also undertake an assessment of alternative alignments, provide the rationale for the selection of a preferred alignment and describe environmental approvals obtained. The planning phase identifies the key environmental issues for the project as well as describing the guiding principles and constraints within which the subsequent design need to comply. For example, with respect to heritage protection or areas containing potential acid sulfate soils, the planning phase would typically develop guidelines for heritage management and guidelines for management of acid sulfate soils that are applicable to the project. Road planners and designers need to be aware of the types of environmental documents (such as a Review of Environmental Factors, or an Environmental Management Plan) that would contain more detailed design guidelines. The key objective in the design phase is to minimise the environmental footprint while meeting safety and engineering objectives. The road designer will incorporate measures to address key environmental issues such as vegetation, noise, water quality etc.
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Box 1. Typical environmental considerations Air quality impacts Air pollution may be caused from dust during construction and maintenance operations Spray drift from chemicals and bitumen works during road construction and maintenance operations Vehicle emissions contribute to ambient air pollution in urban areas Air pollution is influenced by traffic flow and road planning and design should consider network effects and potential congestion Land degradation Poor table drain and pavement drainage can lead to soil erosion Soil compaction by vehicles and machinery Roads can change natural drainage patterns that may concentrate flows leading to scour and erosion Spread of weeds and pathogens during construction activities Water quality Road runoff can contain pollutants that impact upon water quality in receiving waterways Herbicide drift from shoulder and roadside vegetation management activities Vegetation clearance and earthworks may expose soils to erosion Sedimentation may impact on water quality or aquatic ecosystems Biodiversity Roadside vegetation may contain remnant, rare, threatened or endangered species Vegetation clearance may remove fauna habitat The road reserve may be a habitat corridor facilitating the movement of native fauna populations Risk assessment is required to ensure a balance between road user safety and environmental quality Resources Availability of materials and aggregate for road construction Use of recycled materials in road projects Water supply during construction activities Heritage Road alignment may diminish the conservation and natural heritage values of natural areas Road design will need to consider cultural heritage and indigenous heritage values Amenity Road Traffic Noise Visual amenity and landscape
The following sections provide an overview of some of the road design and environmental interactions in each of the road planning and design phases. The examples are not intended to be comprehensive but illustrative of the types of environmental considerations in each phase.
2.4.4 Planning Phase
The planning phase includes the strategic assessment of transport needs (such as strategic freight routes based on regional development needs or freight movements) and options. Broad transport concepts may be examined and Strategic Environmental Assessment 3 (SEA) may be undertaken. Strategic Environmental Assessment will include impact assessment at different spatial scales (for example, at the catchment level, or with respect to regional environmental objectives), different temporal scales (including short-term and long-term) and different types of impact (including direct, secondary, and reversibility). In addition, the project needs to be considered in the context of other projects and programs so that cumulative effects are also taken into account.
3
Strategic Environmental Assessment has been defined as: the formalised, systematic and comprehensive process of evaluating environmental impacts of a policy, plan or program and its alternatives, including the preparation of a written report on the findings of that evaluation, and using the findings in publicly accountable decision-making. (Therivel, R., et al., 1992).
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Community consultation regarding the needs for the project and alternative options that may be considered are a key aspect of the planning phase. These options may include alternative route selections or different multi-modal combinations to meet the transport demands. This phase will identify the key evaluation criteria used in options assessment. The planning phase will usually involve consideration of alternative transport solutions such as infrastructure and non-infrastructure alternatives (eg. policy initiatives that influence demand), network level requirements (eg. relating to strategic freight routes and network connectivity), corridor level options (such as route selection) and link level impacts (eg. based on a Review of Environmental Factors REF - or formalised environmental impact assessment for major projects). Route selection guidelines include the avoidance of low lying areas and following land contours as far as possible to reduce the extent of cut and fill sections. In general, the functional purpose of the road (and factors such as level of service) will determine the extent to which the road alignment should follow the contour of the land. Box 2 provides examples of environmental considerations in the Planning phase.
Box 2. Selected environmental considerations in the Planning phase Road location Soil type (eg. erosion prone soils, expansive soils, acid sulfate soils) Topography (eg. use the natural slope of the land to minimise cut and fill areas) Proximity of existing vegetation communities and fauna populations Proximity to natural waterways (eg. minimising the number of creek crossings) Location of appropriate discharge points for road drainage into natural water courses Sites of cultural or indigenous heritage significance Scenic values (eg. use of tunnels and landscaping of tunnel portals to avoid large road cuttings to maintain visual appeal)
2.4.5
Design phase
In the design phase there are a number of geometric design parameters that interact with the roadside environment. These include horizontal and vertical alignment, operating speed, stopping sight distance, curve radius, cross section, drainage, clear zones and distances to lateral obstructions. Horizontal and vertical alignment, and the corresponding stopping and sight distances, are primary determinants of operating speed. Alignment is also an important factor in road safety and the road design should ensure that there are no surprises for the driver. Horizontal alignment will include considerations of curve radius and horizontal sight clearance. The use of roadside vegetation plays a major role in definition of the roadway to the driver. Vertical alignment will include consideration of grades, crest curves and sag curves. These parameters influence driver comfort as well as drainage requirements. Sight distance is influenced by roadside vegetation. The main road design parameters that determine stopping sight distance are operating speed and driver reaction time. Cross section design elements include carriageway width (which will influence the extent of vegetation clearance required in new road construction), cross fall (which influences road runoff flows) and superelevation. The main drainage design elements include surface drainage (such as the inclusion of table drains, catch drains), sub-surface drainage, and culverts. Sensitive areas include stream crossings, floodplains and causeways. The key environmental issues associated with drainage design include erosion prevention and sediment control. Drainage design elements may also include culvert outlet treatments such as rock or gabion blocks to reduce the velocity of flow and energy dissipation.
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The key environmental factors that influence pavement performance are temperature and moisture. The moisture content in the subgrade is a function of many factors including rainfall patterns, soil type, subsurface drainage design and water table depth. Pavement performance is influenced by the state of the local environment and watertable levels (particularly related to waterlogging and dryland salinity). The road designer needs to be aware of above the ground issues such as waterlogging and ponding as well as below the ground issues such as water table depth. Box 3 illustrates selected environmental issues in the design phase.
Box 3. Selected environmental considerations in the Design phase Design Standards Selecting design standards that result in the least environmental impact but maintain driver safety and comfort Width of road carriageway (ie. based on traffic flows and environmental values) Crossfall (eg. to assist in surface drainage) Grade (eg. influences water flow velocity and erosion potential) Curves (eg. superelevation on horizontal curves for safety) Terrain (eg. in flat terrain drainage to prevent water ponding needs to be considered) Design Elements Road function and safety (eg. barrier design) Provision of desired Level of Service (LOS) Road location in areas subject to flooding Road level over floodplain areas Road reserve width Protection of infrastructure (eg. where acid sulfate soils exist) Drainage Design Surface drainage and subsurface drainage Sediment ponds Catch drains and diversion banks (ie. located above the road embankments to prevent water entering the road) Batter slopes (ie. gradient on cut and fill slopes and stabilisation) Table drains (ie. to collect runoff from road surfaces) Culverts (ie for natural waterway crossings and use as a fauna crossing device) Location characteristics (such as topography, geology, soils, areas of high watertable, semi-arid areas or wet tropics
2.4.6
Construction phase
There are a number of issues in the construction phase that the road planner and designer needs to be aware of. These include, for example, the footprint needed for construction access roads, as well as other functions such as access to water during construction and use of stockpiles. These issues and appropriate environmental procedures should be detailed in the construction phase environmental management plan (EMP). The procedures may relate to clearing, site preparation, earthworks, drainage and revegetation. Clearing of the road alignment may need to consider the presence of significant vegetation, archaeological material and cultural heritage sites. There may also be a need for monitoring by Aboriginal communities of earthworks where there is a potential for uncovering sites. The previous planning phase would have included an assessment of vegetation. Clearing activities and the movement of vehicles should recognise the need to prevent the spread of noxious weeds to unaffected areas. Excavation works may involve cut and fill operations and embankment construction. Prior to clearing there may be a need to collect seeds for later revegetation. Revegetation may be required on borrow pits, batters and other areas where soil is exposed. The topsoil and vegetation salvaged during clearing operations can provide a seed source to re-establish indigenous plants and mulch.
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Drainage works will need to consider both surface drainage and subsurface drainage requirements. The key environmental objectives relate to erosion prevention and sedimentation control. Other construction issues include the use of water during the pavement formation and compaction to ensure optimal moisture content. Water spraying may also be used as a dust prevention measure. Box 4 illustrates selected environmental considerations in the Construction phase.
Box 4. Selected environmental considerations in the Construction phase Clearing and site preparation Vegetation clearance to be minimised and reused for mulch Top soil to be stockpiled and reused as part of rehabilitation works Seed collection for regeneration of vegetation Relocation or translocation of threatened flora species Removal and storage of unsuitable materials on-site Site de-mobilisation and clean-up Excavation and Earthworks Cut and fill batters to be stabilised and revegetated Staged earthworks to reduce area of soil exposed Materials sources and quarry products Management of spoil Archaeological site protection and monitoring during construction Erosion and sediment control Diversion of flows away from the construction zone Encourage infiltration through revegetation Soil erosion and drainage management treatment measures on site Environmental Management Environmental auditing and surveillance activities Rehabilitation, revegetation and land stabilisation Protection measures for heritage, vegetation, adjacent waterways etc
2.4.7
Maintenance phase
There are a number of issues in the maintenance phase that the road planner and designer needs to be aware of. These include, for example, the need for access roads for the maintenance of stormwater detention basins. Maintenance of roads needs to encompass aspects such as safety provision, drainage provision, pavement design, materials availability, construction standards, environmental considerations, economic considerations and road geometry. In low-lying areas, for example, road design parameters such as longitudinal grade, crossfall and superelevation have important influences on water retention in flat spots and the formation of potholes. Roadside vegetation that provides areas of shade on the pavement can also influence the drying of pavement materials enhancing the formation of potholes. Surface drainage also influences pavement deformation such as rutting and scouring due to the flow of water over unsealed roads. Maintenance of the roadside environment includes roadside vegetation. Vegetation can assist in defining the road alignment thus creating a safer driving environment. Maintaining the sight distance envelope according to operating speed environment is a key design consideration. Vegetation management is also a key element of biodiversity conservation and the prevention of erosion on batter slopes. Roadside vegetation management includes activities such as maintenance of safety barriers and signposting, pruning and removal, mowing, re-vegetation, weed control, and fire management.
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Other roadside maintenance activities include works relating to pavement maintenance (eg. repair of potholes, rutting, edge wear, roughness, re-surfacing), line marking, shoulder maintenance (including wet and dry maintenance of unsealed shoulders), bridge maintenance (for example washing and spot painting of bridges), clear zone maintenance, road drainage maintenance (for example cleaning of table drains or sedimentation basins), landscape and amenity and noise barrier maintenance. Box 5 illustrates typical environmental considerations in the Maintenance phase.
Box 5. Selected environmental considerations in the Maintenance phase Stockpiles, borrow pits and storage Leachate management Fuel and oil handling and storage Vegetation Management Pruning Weed control Shoulder and verge management for road safety Maintenance of sight line envelopes (particularly on the inside of curves and on approaches to intersections) Seeding and planting Maintenance of Drainage Structures Clearing of table drains, culverts, Management of drainage and sedimentation basins Erosion and sedimentation control measures
2.5 Environmental Risk Management

The previous section highlighted typical environmental considerations encountered in the road planning and design phases. Risk management is a key element of best practice environmental management in road planning and design. It should be noted that risk assessment is a specialist discipline and would not usually be undertaken road planners and designers. However, they should be aware of the need to carry out such assessments and would be an important source of information input into the process. Therefore, this Report does not include detailed information on risk assessment and risk management. The interested Reader is referred to the relevant Australian Standard AS/NZS 4360:1999 (www.standards.org.au) and the recent Austroads publication Environmental Risk Assessment Guidelines and Tools for Road Projects, AP-R185/01, 2001. Environmental risk exposure is determined by many factors including site sensitivities, activities undertaken and management measures implemented. For example, environmental risks associated with erosion are related to the erosion potential of the location under consideration, the activities undertaken that result in land disturbance and the range of measures available for erosion prevention and the management of sediment. Other climate characteristics also influence erosion risk. For example, in northern Australia, the high intensity rainfall patterns associated with tropical and semitropical over the summer months has significant implications for erosion and sediment control. In general, the use of sedimentation based techniques such as wetlands will be less effective in areas with tropical rainfall distribution patterns. 4
Areas with an even rainfall distribution pattern generally have time to drain between numerous low intensity rainfall events. High rainfall events may lead to overtopping of ponds and retention structures, which reduce their effectiveness.
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Risk management is a step by step process that begins with an understanding of the context (including the regulatory environment, objectives and criteria for risk evaluation), identification of hazards that have the potential to cause environmental harm (these may include activities, events and causes within each of the planning, design, construction and maintenance phases), analyses of particular risks (including the likelihood of occurrence and the consequences) and determines appropriate risk treatment measures (including implementation, communication and monitoring). As a project develops, the risk management approaches may need to be adapted to better reflect actual levels of risk exposure and potential consequences. In some cases, risks perceived during the design phase, may in fact turn out to differ from actual risks encountered during other phases of the project. Risk management (and in particular environmental risk management) is important for road planners and designers because of the need to ensure outcomes consistent with existing (environmental) legislation, demonstration of due diligence, provision of an adequate level of road safety and consistency with the principles of the National Strategy for Ecologically Sustainable Development. In order to increase their awareness and sensitivity to environmental issues road planners and designers should adopt the following principles and ask the following questions as they undertake their work: Consider environmental issues early in the road planning and design process (certainly before detailed design is undertaken). Look to identify the key environmental issues associated with planning and design activities and tasks. Identify activities and causes that may lead to environmental risk exposure. Seek expert advice on the range of best practice risk assessment and risk management tools and techniques available. Consider how short term impacts may be managed through an Environmental Management Plan (eg. Construction EMP) and long-term impacts managed through design phase modifications (such as route selection).
There are a number of specific issues that are important for road planners and designers. These include nonfeasance indemnity and environmental legislation associated with specific protected areas. These are discussed in the following sections.
2.5.1 Nonfeasance Indemnity
Road agencies, as owners and managers of large infrastructure assets, have enjoyed a degree of immunity to liability that has been granted to them by various State legislation. In general, this immunity from liability has extended to nonfeasance (ie. the failure to keep the asset in a state of repair), but has not extended to misfeasance (ie. the failure to repair in a proper non-neglectful manner, or omit to repair something during repair). The distinction between misfeasance and nonfeasance in reality is often difficult to make and recent high court decisions 5 have highlighted the complexity involved with immunity. The recent court decisions state that the road authority is required to take reasonable steps so as not to create a foreseeable risk of harm to users of a public road. If the state of the roadway (whether by design, construction, works, or non-repair) poses a risk to road users then the road authority is obliged to take reasonable steps within a reasonable time to address the risk in order to discharge its duty of care.
See Brodie v Singleton Shire Council and Ghantous v Hawkesbury City Council [(2001), 75 ALJR 993] which have overturned the previously held assumption of nonfeasance indemnity.
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In addition to the issue on nonfeasance, discussed above, there is a range of environmental legislation that covers the protection of environmental resources.
2.5.2 Protected Areas
As noted in the Introduction, protected areas include locations of international, national, state and local significance. Examples include World Heritage sites (eg. Wet Tropics), significant wetland areas (eg, protected under the JAMBA and CAMBA treaties), national estate locations, state parks and places of natural, historic and indigenous heritage significance (ie. those places and events which define and sustain the Australian character). Many areas are significant because of cultural, historical, archaeological or indigenous heritage values. These locations must be protected.
2.5.3 Non-protected Areas
Other areas may also contain significant natural or cultural values. For example, a road corridor through a forest, grassland or other ecosystem, or one that passes through an area containing waterways, floodplains, riparian areas, or coastal and estuary zones, may also be regarded as environmentally sensitive. Urban and rural environments may also be sensitive areas. Urban locations may require the road planner and designer to consider issues such as road traffic noise (for example, in residential areas) or local air quality (for example, the management of vehicle emissions in tunnels or traffic signalling intended to improve smooth traffic flow). Rural environments may require the road planner and designer to consider aspects such as dust suppression on unsealed roads, or fire hazard management along roadsides. Environmental legislation in each jurisdiction focuses on the protection of environmental values such as air and water quality, land resources, biodiversity conservation, resource management (including the use of renewable and non-renewable resources, and waste management), heritage values, landscape and visual amenity and human well-being.
2.6 Report Framework

As noted in Section 2.3, the range of environmental issues that may arise in the planning and design of roads is very broad. Although environmental consequences are likely to change depending upon the location of the project under consideration it is important to emphasise that all road projects have the potential to cause environmental harm. The environmental risk will usually depend on a number of factors including the presence and sensitivity of environmental resources within, adjacent and connected to the project area. The risk is also dependent on the particular activities undertaken which change depending on the project delivery phase (planning, design, construction or maintenance activities). Environmental risks may also span these road project delivery phases. To provide an organising framework, the Report adopts a simple scheme that incorporates both the road project management phase and environmental issue. Figure 1 illustrates the framework used in this Report. Although the focus of this Report is on the planning and design phases, environmental issues are rarely confined to a specific phase. In this Report the terms environmental issue and environmental consideration are used interchangeably. More specifically, however, environmental issue is typically used to describe a key environmental objective, which may include a number of related environmental considerations. These considerations are likely to span aspects of the environmental issue as well as environmental management responses. For example, with respect to biodiversity conservation, the key issues relate to the protection of fauna and flora values. Approaches like fauna sensitive road design, for example, represent a management response (or design consideration) relevant to the selected issue.
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It should be emphasised that the positioning of selected environmental considerations in Figure 1 is illustrative only. As an example, the siting of sedimentation basins should be considered in the planning phase. The design, construction and maintenance of stormwater management and drainage structures are also important. Landscaping issues may be a focus in the planning and design phases (for example in terms of landscape design and species selection), but it also needs to be recognised that the maintenance of the landscape is an important activity in the maintenance phase. Vegetation Management is likely to be important in all phases of a road project, depending on the specific nature of the project and the local environment.
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Environmental Considerations for Planning and Design of Roads Section A FIGURE 1 Illustrative Framework
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Planning
Design
Local Air Quality
Construction
Maintenance
Air
Greenhouse Gas Emissions Water quality
Water
Stormwater Management & Drainage Soils Road Alignment Fauna Sensitive Road Design Vegetation management Resources & Recycling
Land
Biodiversity
Resources
Cultural and Natural Heritage
Waste Management
Heritage
Indigenous Heritage Landscape Amenity (eg. Noise)
NOTE: This Figure is not intended to provide a comprehensive coverage of environmental issues in each phase. It is not intended to indicate that specific environmental issues are relevant only within particular phases. In most, cases, each environmental issue will span all phases depending on the nature of the road project. Rather, the Figure is representative of the issues currently covered in the Project Report.
Amenity
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As shown in Figure 1, the framework is based on a scheme using road project delivery phase and environmental issue. The intent is to emphasise that road planners and designers undertaking work in any of the phases, need to be aware of a broad range of environmental considerations and management responses associated with activities in that phase. The figure is not intended as a definitive statement of environmental issues and their interactions with road planning and design, but is representative of the types of issues that may be of importance in different phases of a project. Table 1 provides further details of the types of considerations that may be relevant to each environmental issue included in Figure 1.
Table 1 Environmental considerations
Air Local air quality Greenhouse gas emissions
Water Water quality Water quantity
Land Soils Erosion and sedimentation
Biodiversity Fauna management Vegetation management
Resources Materials Waste management
Heritage Indigenous Cultural
Amenity Visual amenity Well-being (including noise)
The Table above is not intended to be comprehensive. It provides representative examples of environmental considerations that need to be addressed during the planning and design of roads. Clearly, different road projects can provide different levels of social, economic and environmental benefit for the community. For example, the Amenity attribute above could be expanded to include a broader scope of community benefits including socio-economic changes associated with a particular road project.
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Figure 2 provides a more detailed breakdown of Figure 1 with an emphasis on environmental issues. Road planners and designers need to be aware of the following key points: 1. What are the key issues? 2. What are the corresponding environmental risks? 3. What are the best practices to manage these risks? As an example, consider the key issue of land management. There are many considerations including land clearing, erosion potential and acid sulfate soils to name a few. With respect to potential acid sulfate soils, the road planner and designer will need to be aware of likely environmental risks. These risks may arise during the construction phase as earthworks are undertaken. In the planning phase it is important to identify the existence and extent of potential acid sulfate soils. Alternative routes or alignments may be considered during the planning phase. The best practice will involve the preparation of an Acid Sulfate Soil Management Plan.
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Figure 2 Illustrative Framework (more detailed)

ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCE Attribute Local Air Quality AIR Greenhouse Gases Water Quality WATER Water Quantity Soils LAND Erosion Flora/Vegetation BIODIVERSITY Fauna Materials RESOURCES Waste management Cultural and Natural Heritage HERITAGE Indigenous Heritage Landscape & Visual AMENITY Well-being Route selection and social cohesion Urban and rural areas Noise walls and other mitigation Disruption to local residents and temporary traffic flow management Identification of heritage significance, Native title Route selection Landfill capacity Identification of heritage significance, Tourism demand Use of alternative materials in design (including pavements and roadside furniture) Route selection and relocation Design to be consistent with heritage character Avoidance of significant sites Streetscape design Natural character Stockpiling of topsoil and removed vegetation for reuse Spoil management Archaeological site disturbance during earthworks Participation of local indigenous people and heritage interpretation Blending with natural form of the land. Use of tunnels to avoid large road cuts Habitat identification, Species impact assessment Site conditions, encapsulation of low level contaminated soil Identification of highly erodible soils Route selection and road alignment, Forests, woodlands or grasslands Incorporation of erosion prevention measures Clear zones, Line of sight, road barrier systems, Type of vegetation, Roadside vegetation Fauna sensitive road design Availability of local pavement materials, recycled material characterisation Sediment ponds and other drainage structures Remnant indigenous vegetation Revegetation and rehabilitation Temporary translocation and protection of identified species Use of recycled materials (stockpiles, leachate) Clearing of drainage structures and disposal of sediment Fire management, Weed management, Dieback control, Clear zone maintenance Aquatic biodiversity in streams and waterways. Material availability for maintenance activities such as road shoulder maintenance Disposal of sediment containing heavy metals and other pollutants Ongoing impacts resulting from tourism. Protection and conservation of heritage assets and sites within the road reserve Protection for future generations Roadside management plans, Landscaping (to ensure provision of clear sight lines) Maintenance of noise walls ARI flood periods Land-uses and Land-take. Avoidance of Potential acid sulfate soils (PASS) Stormwater design, Road runoff treatment facilities Road cross section design and subbase on expansive soils Modal choices and travel demand Catchment characteristics Minimisation of waterway crossings Smooth travel flow, Intermodal integration Salinity/Watertable. Specific techniques such as wetlands Upstream and downstream energy consumption Permanent and temporary erosion control and sediment ponds, Stormwater runoff structures Erosion control during high rainfall events Potential acid sulfate soils in low lying coastal areas Implications of potential climate change on pavement lifecycle performance Disposal of sediment containing heavy metals and other pollutants Maintenance of stormwater structures to ensure hydraulic efficiency (water quantity) as well as water quality PASS disturbance in table drain maintenance in low lying areas PLANNING Separation of heavy vehicle traffic from residential areas DESIGN Sealed and unsealed pavements. Vehicle emissions CONSTRUCTION Dust control during construction activities MAINTENANCE Dust control on unsealed roads
NOTE: This Figure is not intended to provide a comprehensive coverage of environmental issues in each phase. It is not intended to indicate that specific environmental considerations are relevant only within particular phases. In most, cases, each environmental issue will span all phases depending on the nature of the road project. Rather, the Figure is representative of the issues currently covered in the Project Report.
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REFERENCES
National Strategy for Ecologically Sustainable Development, See http://www.ea.gov.au/esd/national/nsesd/strategy/ National Strategy for the Conservation of Biological Diversity. See http://www.ea.gov.au/biodiversity/publications/strategy/ National Greenhouse Strategy, See http://www.greenhouse.gov.au/pubs/ngs/ Austroads (1995), Strategy for Ecologically Sustainable Development, AP-40/95 Austroads (2000), Strategy for ecologically sustainable development: progress and directions (including ESD self assessment tool), AP-139/00 Austroads (2000b), Ecologically sustainable development toolbox Part A - guidance package, Part B Case studies, AP-R166/00 Austroads (2001), Austroads guidelines for environmental reporting, AP-G70 Austroads (2001) Risk Assessment Manual, Austroads, Sydney. Austroads (1999). Austroads Environmental Strategy 1998 2001. TSA (1999). Environment Strategic Plan. Transport South Australia. TSA (1997a). Environmental code of practice for construction: road, bridge and marine facilities. Department of Transport SA. TSA (1997b). Environmental management plan guidelines for construction: road, bridge and marine facilities. Department of Transport SA. TSA (1997c). Environmental management implementation plan guidelines for construction: road, bridge and marine facilities. Department of Transport SA. TSA (1997d). Environmental audit guidelines for construction: road, bridge and marine facilities. Department of Transport SA. TSA (2000). Environmental Approval Procedures, Operational Instruction, Edition 1 Revision 0 (10/3/2000), Environmental Operations Unit, Transport South Australia MRWA (1997). Environment Management Manual, Main Roads Western Australia. Version 10, 1997. QDMR (1997). The Road Project Environmental Management Processes Manual. Queensland Department of Main Roads, Brisbane. QDMR (2001). Guidelines for Assessment of Road Impacts of Development Proposal. Queensland Department of Main Roads, Brisbane. Available at the following URL: http://www.mainroads.qld.gov.au/MRWEB/Prod/Content.nsf/15aedf5de67c9f224a256a160009f2f0/f9 a3d174b098150f4a256a4d00203e3c/$FILE/Roadimpact_May2001.pdf RTA (2001). Environmental Noise Management Manual. Roads and Traffic Authority. http://www.rta.nsw.gov.au/environment/downloads/environmental_noise_management_manual_v1_0. pdf RTA (1999). Beyond the Pavement: RTA Urban and Regional Design Practice Notes, Roads and Traffic Authority, 1999. RTA, Environmental Impact Assessment Policy, Guidelines and Procedures, Roads and Traffic Authority, 1999. RTA, Roadscape Guidelines, Roads and Traffic Authority, 1999.
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RTA (1998). Community Involvement Practice Notes and Resource Manual, Roads and Traffic Authority, 1999. RTA, Heritage Guidelines, Roads and Traffic Authority, 1999. RTA, Roadside Environment Strategic Plan, Roads and Traffic Authority, 1999. RTA, Sharing the Main Street: a Practitioners Guide to Managing the Road Environment and Traffic through commercial centres, Roads and Traffic Authority, 1999. PlanningSA (2001). Guidelines for Urban Stormwater Management, Department for Transport Urban Planning and the Arts. http://www.planning.sa.gov.au/pub-pdf/607p.pdf PlanningSA (2000). Transport Choice and Urban Design. Design Issues for accessible neighbourhoods. Department for Transport Urban Planning and the Arts. PlanningSA (2001). Planning Bulletin. Development on Arterial Roads (Metropolitan Adelaide). http://www.planning.sa.gov.au/pub-pdf/671p.pdf PlanningWA (2000) Liveable Neighbourhoods. Street layout, Design and Traffic Management Guidelines. WA Planning Commission, June 2000. QDMR (2000). Road Traffic Noise Management: Code of Practice, January 2000, Queensland Department of Main Roads. QT (2000). Shaping Up: achieving liveability, environmental sustainability and social equity. Queensland Transport, Available as PDF files at the following URL: http://www.transport.qld.gov.au/QT/irtpsign.nsf/index/library Queensland Integrated Planning Act (IPA) Guidelines: http://www.ipa.qld.gov.au/plan/planGuides.asp
Land Management
DMR (1998). Technical Note 10. Expansive Clay Embankments, Queensland Department of Main Roads DMR (2000a). Soils of Western Queensland, WQ32, Technical Notes Western Queensland Best Practice Guidelines, Queensland Department of Main Roads DMR (2000b). Paving Materials and Type Cross Sections for Roads on Expansive Soils in Western Queensland, WQ35, Technical Notes Western Queensland Best Practice Guidelines, Queensland Department of Main Roads DMR (2000c). Drainage Structures on Expansive Soils in Western Queensland, WQ37, Technical Notes Western Queensland Best Practice Guidelines, Queensland Department of Main Roads Foley, G (2000). Review of residential street design and construction standards, Research Report ARR 337, ARRB Transport Research Ltd VicRoads (1993) VicRoads Technical Bulletin No. 37, Section 4.2.1 Expansive Soils Midgley, L. (1988). Construction techniques used to improve the performance of pavements constructed on expansive clays, RCA Technical Report No. 77, VicRoads. IEAust (1984). Fifth International Conference on Expansive Soils, Adelaide, South Australia, 21-23 May 1984, National Conference Publication No. 84/3. The following papers are to be noted: Gordon, R., Waters, T. (1984) A Case Study of Pavements on an Expansive Soil Subgrade, Fifth International Conference on Expansive Soils.
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Luttrell, B., Reeves, I. (1984). Experiences and developments with Road Construction on Expansive Clay Soils in NorthWest Queensland, Fifth International Conference on Expansive Soils. Jameson, G (1986) Trees and Pavement Shape Loss, Australian Road Research (ARRB) Conference, 13th, Adelaide, 1986 Holden, J (1988) Innovation in pavement technology: minimising the distortion of pavement on expansive soils, Australian Road Research Board (ARRB) Conference, 14th, Canberra, 1988 Wallace, K. (1988) Low cost roads on cracking clay soils: a review (with particular reference to Queensland conditions), Queensland University of Technology, School of Civil Engineering Evans, R., Holden, J., McManus, K. (1996). Application of a new moisture barrier construction method for highway pavements, Combined 18th ARRB Transport Research Conference and Transit New Zealand Land Transport Symposium, Christchurch, New Zealand, 1996. McManus, K., Evans, R. (1997). The Management of Moisture in Expansive Soils: notes of a seminar held at the school of Civil Engineering and Building on Thursday 10 April 1997, Management of Moisture in Expansive Soils, Seminar, Melbourne, Swinburne University of Technology Guimmarra, G. (2000). Road classifications, geometric designs and maintenance standards for low volume roads, Research Report, No: ARR 354, ARRB Transport Research Ltd, Vermont South, Victoria Robinson, P., Oppy, T., Guimmarra, G. (1999). Pavement Materials in Road Building: Guidelines for Making Better Use of Local Materials. ARRB Transport Research Ltd. The Port Phillip Catchment & Land Protection Board Discussion Paper Series on Land management (available at http://www.nre.vic.gov.au/catchmnt/portphillip/yarra/discussion/land-mgt/index.htm) covers topics including salinity, erosion, drainage, roadside management and flora and fauna issues.
Air Quality
Austroads (2000). Guidelines for Conducting Air Quality Studies, Austroads Publication AP-R175/00 Dutton, A. H. (1993). Handbook on Quarrying. Handbook No. 1, revised edition. Department of Mines and Energy, SA. EA. (1998). Dust Control. In a series on Best Practice Environmental Management in Mining. Environment Australia, Department of the Environment. Commonwealth of Australia. ACT.
Biodiversity
Bedggood, S.E. & McMahon, A.R.G. (1993). Roadside Vegetation and Management Prescriptions for Specified Roads in VicRoads South-Eastern Metropolitan Region. Ecological Horticulture Pty. Ltd, Biological Consultants. Clifton Hill, Vic. Roadside Conservation Advisory Committee (RCAC) (1996). Victoria. Roadside Assessment Handbook,
VicRoads (1996) Draft Guidelines for the Development of Roadside Management Plans. Prepared by Graeme Stone and Chris Dunlop. (Revised in 1999). Bauer, R. (1998). Traffic Calming Cradle Mountain Tourist Road. Department of Transport, Tasmania. Paper presented at the 19th ARRB Transport research Conference in Sydney, December 1998. KAC (1997). Living with Eastern Grey Kangaroos in the ACT - Public Land. Third Report to the Minister for the Environment, Land and Planning. ACT Kangaroo Advisory Committee (KAC).
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Manigian, S. (1996). Towards a National Strategy to Minimise Wildlife Mortality. Proceedings Roads 96 Conference, Volume 6 Environment & Economics. pp.141-156. ARRB Transport Research Ltd. AMBS (1997). Fauna Usage of Three Underpasses Beneath the F3 Freeway between Sydney & Newcastle. Prepared by Australian Museum Business Services for the Roads & Traffic Authority, August 1997. PPK (1998). Bonville Project Pacific Highway Coffs Harbour Environmental Impact Statement. Prepared for the Roads and Traffic Authority New South Wales by PPK Environment & Infrastructure. Jones, M.E. (1998). Assessment of eastern quoll populations at Cradle Mountain two years post works implemented to reduce road mortality. Report to the Department of Transport, June 1998.
Human Environment
Austroads (2001). Guide to Heritage Bridge Management, Publication Number AP-G68/01, Austroads Sydney. ACT PLANNING AUTHORITY (1996). Noise Management Guidelines (draft). AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY (1997). Environment Protection Act 1997 Environment Protection Regulations Subordinate law No 36 Part IV Noise. EUROPEAN ENVIRONMENT AGENCY (AUGUST 1999) Final Position Paper by Working Group WG-1. LANSDELL, H. & CAMERON, C. (1998) Night-time Noise levels A State-of-the-Art Review. ARRB Transport Research, research report ARR 323. NSW EPA (1999). Environmental Criteria for Road Traffic Noise. EPA Chatswood Sydney NSW Australia. NSW ROAD TRAFFIC NOISE TASK FORCE (1994). Options for Controlling Road Traffic Noise. NSW EPA Sydney NSW. NSW RTA (1994). Reducing Traffic Noise A Guide for Homeowners, Designers and Builders. RTA Sydney NSW. OECD (1991). Fighting Noise in the 1990s. OECD Paris, France. PLANNING SA (1999). Good Residential Design SA, Element 4.14 Housing on Traffic Routes. PSA Adelaide Australia. QUEENSLAND MAIN ROADS (1999). Road Traffic Noise Management: Code of Practice. QMR Brisbane Australia. TRANSIT NZ (1994). Draft Guidelines for the Management of Road Traffic Noise State Highway Improvements. TNZ Auckland NZ. TRANSIT NZ (1998). National State Highway Strategy Policy for Traffic Noise. TNZ Auckland NZ. TRANSPORT SA (1999). Road Traffic Noise Guidelines for Infrastructure Projects. TSA Adelaide Australia. VICROADS (1994). A Guide to the Reduction of Traffic Noise For Use by Builders, Designers and Residents. VicRoads Melbourne Australia. WHO (1999). Guidelines for Community Noise, edited by Birgetta Berglund, Thomas Lindvall, Dietrich Schwela, Geneva Switzerland. World Health Organisation (http://www.who.int/peh/noise/guidelines2.html)
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Road Design
Austroads (1989). Rural Road Design: Guide to the geometric design of rural roads, Publication No. 1/89 Austroads Austroads (1992). Pavement Design: A guide to the structural design of road pavements, Publication No. AP-17/92, Austroads Austroads (1998). A guide to the design of new pavements for light traffic, Austroads Pavement reference Group (APRG), Report No 21, Austroads A Guide to the Geometric Design of Roadways, prepared by Main Roads Western Australia, may be found at the following URL: http://www2.mainroads.wa.gov.au/nr/mrwa/internet/standards/guidelines_road_&_traffic_engineering /geometric_design/index.htm ARRB TR (1995). Sealed Local Roads Manual: Guidelines to good practice for the construction, maintenance and rehabilitation of pavements, ARRB Transport Research ARRB TR (2000). Unsealed Roads Manual, Guidelines to good practice, ARRB Transport Research
Road Function and Safety

MRWA Road Safety Audit Guidelines, Available at the following URL: http://www2.mainroads.wa.gov.au/nr/mrwa/internet/standards/guidelines_road_&_traffic_engineering /audits_&_reviews/road_safety_audits/index.htm Austroads (2002), Road Safety Audit Guidelines, (2nd Edition), AP-G30/02 RTA (1996). Road Design Guide, Part 6 Safety Barriers for Roads and Bridges, Roads and Traffic Authority. VicRoads (2001). Road Design Guidelines Part 12 Crash Barriers, In press MRWA (1999). Australia Guide to Road Safety Barriers, Document No 67-08-7. Main Roads Western
MRQ (2000) Road Planning and Design Manual, Chapter 8 Safety Barriers and Roadside Furniture, Main Roads Queensland. TSA (2000) Guide to the selection of safety barrier, Road Design Technical Guidelines No 014, Transport South Australia DIER (2000). R61 Road Safety Barrier Systems, DIER Specification 61, Department of Infrastructure Energy and Resources. SA (1999). Australia/ New Zealand Standard Road Safety Barrier Systems, Publication AS/NZS 3845:1999, Standards Australia TNZ (1999). Interim Guide to the application of the Transit New Zealand Specifications for Road Safety Barrier Systems, Transit New Zealand.
AUSTROADS 2003 26
A1
Case Studies
Yelgun to Chinderah Project. Protection of Flora (vegetation) during the construction phase. http://www.abigroup.com.au/y2c/factsheets/flora_mar_01.htm Yelgun to Chinderah Project. Management of Acid Sulfate Soils http://www.abigroup.com.au/y2c/factsheets/ass.htm Yelgun to Chinderah Project. Protection of fauna and fauna habitat http://www.abigroup.com.au/y2c/factsheets/fauna1.htm Protection of Biodiversity in Road Reserves. http://www.environment.sa.gov.au/sustainability/pdfs/LA21_Casestudy_Biodiversity.pdf
AUSTROADS 2003 27
INFORMATION RETRIEVAL
Austroads (2003), Environmental Considerations for Planning and Design of Roads, Sydney, A4, 37pp, AP-R217/03
KEYWORDS: Environment, roads, design, road planning, road design, environmental case studies. ABSTRACT: This publication and the accompanying CD-ROM provide a framework for planners and designers of roads to become informed on environmental impacts and current methods to minimise them. The information is divided into three sections: this printed report is Section A, which provides the environmental context for the various categories and the phases of road life at which they impact. Section B provides details, references and guidelines, while Section C contains case studies. Sections B and C are only accessible via the CDROM. The publication is designed to be used electronically via the software available on the CD-ROM and includes an interactive query-based navigator program that provides for access to reference documents and internet sites.
AUSTROADS PUBLICATIONS
Austroads publishes a large number of guides and reports. Some of its publications are: AP-1/89 Rural Road Design AP-8/87 Visual Assessment of Pavement Condition Guide to Traffic Engineering Practice AP-11.1/88 Traffic Flow AP-11.9/88 Arterial Road Traffic Management AP-11.2/88 Roadway Capacity AP-11.10/88 Local Area Traffic Management AP-11.3/88 Traffic Studies AP-11.11/88 Parking AP-11.4/88 Road Crashes AP-11.12/88 Roadway Lighting AP-11.5/88 Intersections at Grade AP-11.13/95 Pedestrians AP-11.6/93 Roundabouts AP-11.14/99 Bicycles AP-11.7/03 Traffic Signals AP-11.15/99 Motorcycle Safety AP-11.8/88 Traffic Control Devices AP-12/91 Road Maintenance Practice AP-13/91 Bridge Management Practice AP-14/91 Guide to Bridge Construction Practice AP-15/96 Australian Bridge Design Code AP-17/92 Pavement Design AP-18/00 RoadFacts 2000 AP-S22/02 Austroads Pavement Strategy 20012004 AP-23/94 Waterway Design, A Guide to the Hydraulic Design of Bridges, Culverts & Floodways AP-26/94 Strategy for Structures Research and Development AP-C29/01 Austroads Strategic Plan 20012004 AP-G30/02 Road Safety Audit 2nd Edition AP-34/95 Design Vehicles and Turning Path Templates AP-36/95 Adaptions and Innovations in Road & Pavement Engineering AP-38/95 Guide to Field Surveillance of Quality Assurance Contracts AP-40/95 Strategy for Ecologically Sustainable Development AP-41/96 Bitumen Sealing Safety Guide AP-42/96 Benefit Cost Analysis Manual AP-43/00 National Performance Indicators AP-44/97 Asphalt Recycling Guide AP-45/96 Strategy for Productivity Improvements for the Road Transport Industry AP-46/97 Strategy for Concrete Research and Development AP-47/97 Strategy for Road User Costs AP-48/97 Australia at the Crossroads, Roads in the Community A Summary AP-49/97 Roads in the Community Part 1: Are they doing their job? AP-50/97 Roads in the Community Part 2: Towards better practice AP-51/98 Electronic Toll Collection Standards Study AP-52/97 Strategy for Traffic Management Research and Development AP-53/97 Strategy for Improving Asset Management Practice AP-54/97 Austroads 1997 Bridge Conference Proceedings Bridging the Millennia AP-55/98 Principles for Strategic Planning AP-G56/01 Assessing Fitness to Drive 2nd edition AP-57 & 58/98 Cities for Tomorrow Better Practice Guide & Resource Document AP-59/98 Cities for Tomorrow CD AP-60/98 Guide to Stabilisation in Roadworks AP-61/99 Australia Cycling 1999-2004 The National Strategy AP-62/99 e-transport The National Strategy for Intelligent Transport Systems AP-64/00 Austroads 4th Bridge Conference Proceedings Bridges for the New Millenium AP-G65.1/01 Road Condition Monitoring Guidelines: Part 1 Pavement Roughness AP-G66/02 Asphalt Guide AP-G67/02 Travel Demand Management: A Resource Book AP-G68/01 Guide to Heritage Bridge Management AP-G69/02 Urban Road Design: A Guide to the Design of Major Urban Roads AP-G70/02 Austroads Guidelines for Environmental Reporting AP-G71/02 A Guide for Traffic Engineers Roads-Based Public Transport and High Occupancy Vehicles AP-G72/02 Telecommunications in Road Reserves: Operational Guidelines for Installations AP-G73/02 Guide to the Selection and Use of Bitumen Emulsions These and other Austroads publications may be obtained from: ARRB Transport Research Ltd Telephone: +61 3 9881 1547 500 Burwood Highway Fax: +61 3 9887 8144 VERMONT SOUTH VIC 3133 Email: BookSales@arrb.com.au Australia Website: www.arrb.com.au or from road authorities, or their agent in all States and Territories; Standards New Zealand; Standards Australia & Bicycle New South Wales.

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ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR PLANNING AND DESIGN OF ROADS

ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR PLANNING AND DESIGN OF ROADS

ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR PLANNING AND DESIGN OF ROADS

Environmental Considerations for Planning and Design of Roads Section A

Environmental Considerations for Planning and Design of Roads Section A

CD-ROM setup and user manual

Environmental Considerations for Planning and Design of Roads Section A

AUSTROADS 2003 iii

Environmental Considerations for Planning and Design of Roads Section A

Environmental Considerations for Planning and Design of Roads Section A

1.1 Structure of the Report and Guidelines

Environmental Considerations for Planning and Design of Roads Section A

Environmental Considerations for Planning and Design of Roads Section A

Environmental Considerations for Planning and Design of Roads Section A

ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS for ROAD PLANNING and DESIGN

Environmental Considerations for Planning and Design of Roads Section A

2.2 Aspects of an Environmentally Sensitive Area

Social Values Water Resources Landscape

2.3 Purpose of Report

Environmental Considerations for Planning and Design of Roads Section A

Environmental Considerations for Planning and Design of Roads Section A

2.4 Road Project Delivery Phases

Environmental Considerations for Planning and Design of Roads Section A

Environmental Considerations for Planning and Design of Roads Section A

Environmental Considerations for Planning and Design of Roads Section A

Environmental Considerations for Planning and Design of Roads Section A

Environmental Considerations for Planning and Design of Roads Section A

Environmental Considerations for Planning and Design of Roads Section A

Environmental Considerations for Planning and Design of Roads Section A

2.5 Environmental Risk Management

Environmental Considerations for Planning and Design of Roads Section A

Environmental Considerations for Planning and Design of Roads Section A

2.6 Report Framework

Environmental Considerations for Planning and Design of Roads Section A

Cultural and Natural Heritage

Environmental Considerations for Planning and Design of Roads Section A

Air Local air quality Greenhouse gas emissions

Water Water quality Water quantity

Land Soils Erosion and sedimentation

Biodiversity Fauna management Vegetation management

Resources Materials Waste management

Heritage Indigenous Cultural

Amenity Visual amenity Well-being (including noise)

Environmental Considerations for Planning and Design of Roads Section A

Environmental Considerations for Planning and Design of Roads Section A

Figure 2 Illustrative Framework (more detailed)

Environmental Considerations for Planning and Design of Roads Section A

Environmental Considerations for Planning and Design of Roads Section A

Environmental Considerations for Planning and Design of Roads Section A

Environmental Considerations for Planning and Design of Roads Section A

Environmental Considerations for Planning and Design of Roads Section A

Road Function and Safety

Environmental Considerations for Planning and Design of Roads Section A

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