Municipal Road Management Plan

Definitions

Arterial road: refers to freeways, highways and declared main roads, which are managed by the Victorian Government, through VicRoads (as the co-ordinating road authority).

Co-ordinating road authority: is the organisation which has the responsibility to co-ordinate works. Generally, if the road is a freeway or arterial road, this will be VicRoads. Generally, if the road is a municipal road, this will be the City.

the City, we, us and our: refers to the City of Greater Geelong.

Council: means the City.

Demarcation agreement: a formal agreement between the City and another organisation that defines areas of responsibility.

Motor vehicle: refers to a vehicle that is propelled by an in-built motor and is intended to be used on a roadway. This does not include a motorised wheelchair or mobility scooter which is incapable of travelling at a speed greater than 10 km/h and is solely used for the conveyance of an injured or disabled person.

Municipal road(s): roads for which the municipal council – in this case, the City – is the co-ordinating road authority.  The Road Management Act 2004 imposes specific duties on the municipal council with respect to the inspection, repair and maintenance of these roads.

Non-road infrastructure: refers to infrastructure that is contained in, on, under or over a road, which is not road infrastructure. This includes gas pipes, water and sewerage pipes, cables, electricity poles and cables, tram wires, rail infrastructure (including boom gates, level crossings and tram safety zones), bus shelters, public telephones, mailboxes, roadside furniture and fences erected by utilities, or providers of public transport.

Other roads: include roads in state forests and reserves, and roads on private property. Municipal councils are not responsible for the inspection, repair or maintenance of these roads.

Pathway: refers to a footpath, bicycle path, shared path or other area that is constructed for members of the public (not motor vehicles) to use.

Public Road: has the same meaning as in the Road Management Act 2004 and includes a freeway, an arterial road, a municipal road declared under section 14(1) of the Act and a road in respect of which the City has made a decision that it is reasonably required for general public use and is included on the Municipal Public Road Register.

Road: has the same meaning as in the Road Management Act 2004, being inclusive of any public highway, any ancillary area and any land declared to be a road under section 11 of that Act or forming part of a public highway or ancillary area.

Road infrastructure: refers to infrastructure which forms part of a roadway, pathway or shoulder, which includes structures and materials.

Road-related infrastructure: refers to infrastructure installed or constructed by the relevant road authority to either facilitate the operation or use of the roadway or pathway, or support or protect the roadway or pathway.

Road Reserve: refers to the area of land that is within the boundaries of a road.

Roadside: refers to any land that is within the boundaries of the road (other than shoulders) which is not a roadway or pathway. This includes land on which any vehicle crossing or pathway, which connects from a roadway or pathway on a road to other land, has been constructed.

Roadway: refers to the area of a public road that is open to, or used by, the public, and has been developed by a road authority for the driving or riding of motor vehicles. This does not include a driveway providing access to a public road, or other road, from adjoining land.

Shoulder: refers to the cleared area, whether constructed or not, that adjoins a roadway to provide clearance between the roadway and roadside. This does not refer to any area that is not in the road reserve.

Introduction

The City of Greater Geelong is the coordinating road authority for approximately $2.1 billion of infrastructure assets.

This Municipal Road Management Plan explains the standards, policies and systems we use to manage, inspect, repair and maintain these assets.

1.1       What is the purpose of this plan?

Section 50 of the Road Management Act 2004 sets the following objectives for a municipal road management plan:

1. To establish a system for our road management functions, which is based on policy, operational objectives and available resources.
2. To set a performance standard for our road management functions.

Although it is termed a ‘plan’ in the legislation, it is functionally an operational protocol document – describing the systems and rules we use to make decisions and execute our duties, within our available resources. The plan forms part of a larger Asset Management Framework related to maintenance and operations.

1.2       Legislation guiding this plan

In addition to the Road Management Act 2004, the plan also considers the following Acts, regulations and codes of practice:

• Local Government Act 1989
• Ministerial Codes of Practice
• Road Management (General) Regulations 2016
• Road Management (Works and Infrastructure) Regulations 2015
• Road Safety Act 1986
• Wrongs Act 1958.

1.3       What is covered in the plan?

The Municipal Road Management Plan is divided into seven sections:

• Rights and responsibilities – covers legislation and local laws relevant to road management.
• Road management systems - how we classify roads, streets and footpaths – known as our asset hierarchy – and the plans and processes we use to maintain roads and road-related infrastructure.
• Road management framework – plans, policies and processes that influence how we manage roads.
• Municipal Public Road Register – what’s in it, how to access it and the process for making changes.
• Technical references.
• Supporting documents.
• Attachments.

1.4       Updating the plan

This plan must be updated within a set period following a Council election. Outside of this cycle, changes may be required from time to time.  

The following process will be used to manage these changes:

• If material changes are made to standards and specifications, a report will be presented to Council, along with a brief explanation as to why such changes are necessary. The review process must follow the steps as set out in the Road Management (General) Regulations 2016 Part 3 – Road Management Plans.
• When changes do not alter these technical aspects of road management, changes will be approved by the City Services Director.

These changes will be made in accordance with the processes prescribed by the Road Management Act 2004. To assist with version control, these changes will be numbered as follows:

• Versions presented to Council will be renumbered by whole numbers – for example, from Version 1.00 to 2.00.
• Those approved by the Director will be renumbered by decimals – for example, from Version 1.00 to 1.01.

1.5       Suspending the plan

Although we will do our best to meet the requirements of this plan, there are times when circumstances beyond our control may prevent this from happening.

Our obligations may be suspended in the event of:

• Natural disasters – including floods, fires, droughts or similar events.
• Any other major event beyond our control.

Our Chief Executive Officer has delegated authority to suspend the plan in such circumstances. The decision to suspend the plan will be made in consultation with our City Services Director. Factors that might influence the decision include available resources and conflicting priorities.

If the plan is suspended, entirely or in part, the necessary changes to our activities and response times will also be documented.

As soon as circumstances allow, the City Services Director will recommend to the Chief Executive Officer how and when the plan should be reactivated, and the Chief Executive Officer will determine whether to do so.

1.6       Responsibility for the plan

Overall responsibility for administering and implementing the plan rests with the City Services Director.

Rights and Responsibilities

2.1       Public roads

Public roads are defined in the Road Management Act 2004 as including:

• a freeway
• an arterial road
• a road declared under section 204(1) of the Local Government Act 1989
• a municipal road declared under section 14(1) of the Road Management Act 2004
• a road in respect of which the City has made a decision that it is reasonably required for general public use and is included on the Municipal Public Road Register.

They can include streets, rights of way, bridges, footpaths, bicycle paths and nature strips.

2.2       Key stakeholders

The key stakeholder impacted by this plan include:

• the general community (for recreation, sport, leisure and business)
• residents and businesses adjoining the road network
• pedestrians
• vehicle users with motorised vehicles, such as trucks, buses, commercial vehicles, cars and motorcycles
• users of smaller, lightweight vehicles, such as pedal-powered bicycles, motorised buggies, wheelchairs, prams and so on
• tourists and visitors to the area
• emergency agencies (Victoria Police, Country Fire Authority, Ambulance Victoria, State Emergency Services)
• the military (in times of conflict and emergency)
• traffic and transportation managers
• managers of the road network asset
• construction and maintenance personnel, who build and maintain asset components
• utility agencies using the road reserve for infrastructure (water, sewerage, gas, electricity, telecommunications)
• the City of Greater Geelong, as custodian of the asset
• state and federal governments, who periodically provide funding for roads.

2.3       Coordinating road authority

Section 36 of the Road Management Act 2004 provides information on coordinating road authority. According to subsection (c), the coordinating road authority:

If the road is a municipal road, it is the municipal council of the municipal district in which the road or part of the road is situated.

However, there are instances where several authorities are responsible for components of the road within the road reserve. Section 33 of the Road Management Act 2004 covers this by saying:

A road authority must, in performing road management functions, have regard to the principal object of road management and the works and infrastructure management principles.

Furthermore, Section 35 says:

Subject to this Act, a road authority has power to do all things necessary or convenient to be done for or in connection with the performance of its functions under this Act.

2.4       General functions of a road authority

Section 34 of the Road Management Act 2004 describes the general functions of a road authority, as follows:

1. A road authority has the following general functions:
1. to provide and maintain, as part of a network of roads, roads for use by the community served by the road authority
2. to manage the use of roads having regard to the principle that the primary purpose of a road is to be used by members of the public and that other uses are to be managed in a manner which minimises any adverse effect on the safe and efficient operation of the road and on the environment
3. to manage traffic on roads in a manner that enhances the safe and efficient operation of roads
4. to coordinate the installation of infrastructure on roads and the conduct of other works in such a way as to minimise, as far as is reasonably practicable, adverse impacts on the provision of utility or public transport services
5. to undertake works and activities which promote the functions referred to in paragraphs (a), (b) and (c) and to undertake activities which promote the function in paragraph (d).
2. The general functions conferred on a road authority under sub-section (1) are not to be construed as limiting any other functions conferred on a road authority by or under this Act or any other Act.
3. In seeking to achieve its functions, a road authority should:
1. consult with the community and disseminate information in relation to the exercise of those functions
2. take steps as are reasonably practicable to ensure the structural integrity and safety of public roads in accordance with this Act.

2.5       Rights of the road user

Sections 8 to 10 of the Road Management Act 2004 outline the rights of public road users, which are legally enforceable:

2.6       Obligations of road users

2.6.1 General usage

The Road Safety Act 1986 requires that:

1. A person who drives a motor vehicle on a highway must drive in a safe manner having regard to all the relevant factors.
2. A road user other than a person driving a motor vehicle must use a highway in a safe manner having regard to all the relevant factors.
   
   (2A) For the purpose of subsections (1) and (2) and without limiting their generality, the relevant factors include the following:
1. physical characteristics of the road
2. prevailing weather conditions
3. level of visibility
4. the condition of any vehicle the person is driving or riding on the highway
5. prevailing traffic conditions
6. the relevant road laws and advisory signs
7. the physical and mental condition of the driver or road user.
3. A road user must:
1. take reasonable care to avoid any conduct that may endanger the safety or welfare of other road users
2. take reasonable care to avoid any conduct that may damage road infrastructure and non-road infrastructure on the road reserve
3. take reasonable care to avoid conduct that may harm the environment of the road reserve.

2.6.2 Incident claims

If a person proposes to make a claim in relation to a public road or infrastructure for which we are the responsible road authority, they must send us something in writing within 30 days of the incident they are proposing to claim for.

In line with Section 110 of the Road Management Act 2004, we are not legally liable for property damages where the value of the damage is equal to or less than the threshold amount.

In cases where the claim relates to assets we don’t own on the road reserve, claims should be referred to the authority responsible for those assets.

2.6.3 Permits for works within a road reserve

In cases where an individual or organisation proposes to carry out works within the road reserve that may impede public access, or interfere with road infrastructure, they must apply for a ‘works within road reserve’ permit. There are some exemptions, as noted in the Road Management (Works and Infrastructure) Regulations 2015.  

Local laws also require property owners to apply for a vehicle crossing permit if they plan to build a driveway.

In both cases, a fee applies to cover the costs of the administration and inspection of the work.

2.6.4 Obligation to maintain exclusions

There are several assets within the road reserve that we do not have an obligation to inspect and/or maintain. These include:

• Non-road infrastructure
• Vehicle driveways - the vehicle crossing, located between the carriageway and the property boundary, must be maintained by the adjoining property owner. However, we are responsible for the portion of the driveway where the constructed pathway is reasonably required by the public.
• Single property stormwater drains - for drains constructed within the reserve that carry water from a single property to an outlet in the kerb, or other drain.
• Utilities – including, but not limited to; telecommunication, power, water, gas and rail authority assets.

Road Management Systems

3.1       Background and process

Section 50 of the Road Management Act 2004 states:

The purposes of a road management plan are having regard to the principal object of road management and the works and infrastructure management principles –

1. to establish a management system for the road management functions of a road authority which is based on policy and operational objectives and available resources and
2. to set the relevant standard in relation to the discharge of duties in the performance of those road management functions.

Road asset management involves managing both physical assets, and uses and operation that have the potential to impact their condition. It applies to all road assets, including:

• the road – pavement and surface, as well as footpaths, kerb and channel
• structures – bridges, culverts and traffic management devices
• road infrastructure – traffic signals and on-road electrical assets.

The aim of our road management system is to deliver a safe and efficient road network and meet community needs to the best of our ability, within available resources.

To create a road asset management system that would best meet our needs when inspecting, maintaining and repairing public roads, we used the following nationally-recognised asset management frameworks:

• International Infrastructure Management Manual (IIMM) 2015, IPWEA
• IPWEA National Asset Management Systems (NAMS+)
• Other references, as listed in Technical References.

The system is designed to set the direction for our asset management activities. It is also linked to the annual business planning cycle.

3.2       Asset hierarchies – municipal road network

All roads and footpaths within the municipal road network are classified according to a hierarchy that takes into account how they are used, who uses them and how often.

The hierarchy classification is used to determine the levels of service required, prioritise works programs and determine defect intervention responses.

The three levels in the hierarchy are:

1. Urban road and street network
   This is further divided into four categories, as follows:
• Category 4: Main distributor
• Category 3: Secondary distributor and collector
• Category 2: Local access
• Category 1: Access lane.

See Attachment 1 for more information

2. Rural road network
   This is further divided into four categories, as follows:
• Category 4: Link road
• Category 3: Collector road – sealed and gravel
• Category 2: Local road – sealed and gravel
• Category 1: Limited access track and fire tracks.

See Attachment 2 for more information.

3. Footpath network
   This is further divided into four categories, similar to roads, as follows:
• Category 5: CBD and waterfront tourist precincts
• Category 4: Busy urbanised areas
• Category 3: Specific pedestrian generators
• Category 2: Other areas.

See Attachment 3 for more information.

3.3       Our road network

More information about the City’s road network is shown in the tables below.

Table 3.1 – Road Length by Hierarchy – December 2020

Table 3.2 – Road Length by Surface Type – December 2020

3.4       Maintenance management regime

3.4.1 Maintenance management

We have a duty of care to all road users and the community to maintain public roads to a reasonably safe and suitable standard, within our available funds and resources. By developing long-term maintenance programs for our assets, we are better able to plan how we do this.

The following maintenance requirements shape our annual program and budget:

Routine maintenance standards

Standards vary across the network depending on the asset type and relevant risk factors, such as traffic volumes and composition, operating speeds, the susceptibility of assets to deterioration and the cost effectiveness of repairs. Competing priorities for funding are also relevant.

Defect intervention levels have been established using the VicRoads Standard Specification Section 750 and adapting it to local conditions.

The standards will be reviewed periodically to make sure they are adequate.

Repair and maintenance works

Works must be completed within a specified time, depending on the severity and location of the defect. Response times were determined using local knowledge and experience and past performance as a guide.

Response times are monitored and will be periodically reviewed (see section 3.4.4).

Temporary mitigation measures

These are temporary works designed to reduce the risk of an incident, until such time as repair or maintenance works can be completed.

Response times and safety measures – for example warning signs, flashing lights, and safety barriers – are determined by reference to the risk to safety, road type and traffic volume.

Emergency works

Works that result from emergency incidents and must be undertaken immediately, for the safety of road users and the public.

Emergency works might include traffic incident management, responses to fires, floods, storms and spillages, and any assistance required under the Victorian State Emergency Response Plan and Municipal Emergency Management Plan.

3.4.2 Asset management plans

Our asset management plans guide the development of long-term asset renewal programs, helping us to plan and finance asset renewal and replacement.

3.4.3 Maintenance surveys and inspections

A four-tier regime is used to inspect our road network assets. It covers safety issues, incidents, defects and condition inspections.

1. Request for Service or RFS (reactive) inspections
   These inspections are conducted in response to requests from the community. The inspection is carried out by a City employee and assessed according to the Hazard intervention levels, contained within Attachment 6.
2. Programmed (proactive) inspections
   Regular timetabled inspections that are scheduled depending on traffic flow, the types of defects likely to impact the asset and the perceived risks of these defects (in line with VicRoads Standard Specification Section 750).
3. Condition inspections
   These inspections identify structural integrity issues which, if untreated, are likely to adversely affect the network overall. These issues may impact short-term serviceability, as well as the ability of the asset to perform for the duration of its intended life span.
   
   These inspections are carried out in accordance with the City’s asset management plans. They are generally undertaken by specialised consultants on a four-yearly schedule.
4. Fatality inspections
   These inspections are conducted by our Engineering Services and Risk Management personnel, in situations where a death has occurred on a municipal road. The inspection is conducted as soon as possible after the fatality, to record on-site conditions.

3.4.4 Maintenance responsiveness and performance targets

The following information is recorded when we receive a Request for Service (RFS) from the community:

• date the request was received
• details of the request
• date by which the request must be actioned (based on the target response time below)
• date when the request was actioned and/or completed (this typically involves someone carrying out an RFS inspection, as described in section 3.4.3).

By recording this information, we can monitor response times – that is, the time it takes from receiving a request to carrying out an inspection.

Customer requests will be inspected and assessed in no more than 10 working days. Following are some possible outcomes from a road inspection:

• If repairs are straight-forward, a work order would be created based on the Hazard intervention levels in Attachment 6.
• If repairs are significant - for example, rehabilitation works are required – this would be programmed. Temporary mitigation measures may be undertaken to remove a hazard until the proper works can be undertaken.
• If the defect is below the intervention levels specified in Attachment 6, it would be noted, but no remedial action would necessarily be planned.

In all cases, the action taken would be noted against the original request.

Target response times and intervention times are based on ‘normal’ conditions. The same level of service would not apply in cases where this plan has been suspended, under Section 1.5.

3.5       Asset levels of service

Five elements are taken into account when determining appropriate levels of service for the road network. These are:

• community expectations
• technical standards
• organisational capacity
• performance measures and targets
• safety of road and footpath users.

Register of Public Roads

The City maintains a register of public roads – called the Municipal Public Road Register – with the details of all public roads, and ancillary areas for which we are responsible.

The Municipal Public Road Register is available on the City’s website. A hard copy is made available at our Geelong Customer Service Centre, 100 Brougham Street, upon request.

4.1       Maintenance demarcation (boundary) agreements

Where there are boundary agreements between us and other road authorities or private organisations, the schedule of roads affected, and agreements are listed in the Municipal Road Register.

We have agreements with the following road authorities:

• Surf Coast Shire - bridges and roads
• Golden Plains Shire – bridges and roads
• Moorabool Shire – bridges and roads
• City of Wyndham – bridges
• Borough of Queenscliff – roads
• VicRoads – roads.

4.2       Roads not on the register

The following roads are not listed on our Municipal Public Road Register:

• roads which are the full responsibility of the state government, or a private enterprise
• unused roads that we have not accepted responsibility for
• roads drawn out on a plan of subdivision, until such time that we accept responsibility for these roads
• roads which we have not determined are reasonably required for general public use.

Technical References

1. Risk Management Standard, AS/NZS ISO 31000:2009
2. Integrated Asset Management Guidelines for Road Networks (AP-R202) 2002, Austroads Inc.
3. International Infrastructure Management Manual (IIMM) 2015, IPWEA.
4. VicRoads Risk Management Guidelines.
5. VicRoads Standard Specification Section 750 – Routine Maintenance.

Attachment 1: Road Hierarchy – Urban Roads

Attachment 2: Road Hierarchy – Rural Roads

Attachment 3: Footpath Hierarchy

Attachment 4: Inspection Requirements

Attachment 5: Inspection Frequencies

Attachment 6: Hazard Intervention Levels & Response Times

Attachment 7: Municipal Boundary Map