Traffic Engineering Manual Volume 1

Chapter 8: Local Area Traffic Management

Traffic Engineering Manual Volume 1, Chapter 8 Edition 5

June 2014

Amendment Record
Ed/Rev No

Page(s)

Issue Date

Amendment Description

Draft

All

November 1996

Draft document

Ed 1 Rev 1

8-25 & 8-26

August 1997

Addition of Sinusoidal profile road humps

September 1997

General release

Ed 2
Ed 3

All

December 1999

Amendments related to Road Rules - Victoria

Ed 3 Rev A

8-16

October 2001

Minor corrections to symbols

Ed 4

All

June 2010

New release

Ed 5

All

June 2014

Minor amendment

Traffic Engineering Manual Volume 1, Chapter 8 Edition 5

June 2014

Contents
8.1

Introduction ..................................................................................................... 4

8.1.1

General ............................................................................................................. 4

8.1.2

What is Local Area Traffic Management? ......................................................... 4

8.1.3

Victoria Planning Provisions .............................................................................. 4

8.2

Good Design Practice ..................................................................................... 5

8.2.1

Local Area Speed Zones ................................................................................... 5

8.2.2

Siting, Spacing and Combination of LATM Devices .......................................... 5

8.2.3

Design for Large Vehicles ................................................................................. 6

8.3

Design Guidelines for Devices ....................................................................... 7

8.3.1

Road Humps ..................................................................................................... 7

8.3.2

Road Hump Signing .......................................................................................... 8

8.3.3

Off Road Hump - Type 2 ................................................................................... 9

8.3.4

Splitter Islands ................................................................................................... 9

Traffic Engineering Manual Volume 1, Chapter 8 Edition 5

June 2014

8.1 Introduction
8.1.1 General
This Chapter is a supplement to the Austroads Guide to Traffic Management. The primary source of
guidance on Local Area Traffic Management (LATM) comes from the Austroads Guide to Traffic
Management Part 8: Local Area Traffic Management (2008). However, for the practice of traffic
management in Victoria, this supplement takes precedence to the extent of any conflict between the two
documents.
The Austroads Guide to Traffic Management Part 8: Local Area Traffic Management (2008) contains a
wealth of background information, experience and advice, including descriptions, suitable applications,
advantages and disadvantages of many devices.
This chapter provides advice on Victorian specific issues as well as covering other practical matters not
included in the Austroads guide.

8.1.2 What is Local Area Traffic Management?

Local Area Traffic Management is concerned with the planning and management of the usage of road
space within a local traffic area, often to modify streets and street networks which were originally designed
in ways that are now no longer considered appropriate to the needs of residents and users of the local
area. It involves the use of physical devices, streetscaping treatments and other measures (including
regulations and other non-physical measures) to influence vehicle operation, in order to create safer and
more pleasant streets in local areas.
For the purpose of distinguishing between LATM and other aspects of traffic management, a 'local (traffic)
area' is an area containing only local streets and collector roads, and is usually bounded by arterial roads
or other roads serving a significant road transportation function, or other physical barriers such as creeks,
railways, reserves or impassible terrain.

8.1.3 Victoria Planning Provisions

Particular Provisions - Clause 56.06 of the Victoria Planning Provisions (2010) deals with 'Access and
Mobility Management', which is primarily the road system. It applies to the planning and design of new
urban areas and new developments within existing urban areas and sets out objectives and standards to
be achieved. These include traffic volume and speed management targets in the design of local street
networks and individual streets. The requirement to provide larger roads and traffic routes at intervals of
approximately 1.6 km should be regarded as the maximum spacing to avoid high traffic volumes on some
internal local streets. A closer spacing of traffic routes is desirable (see Volume 1 Chapter 1, Section 1.6
Planning Future Roads and Land Uses of this manual).
Designing the Treatment

Consider all likely road users in the design.

Use the correct design vehicle and checking vehicle (see Table 10.1 Selection of Design Vehicle
and Checking Vehicle for Each Road Type in Volume 1 Chapter 10 Trucks, Buses & Emergency
Vehicles of this manual).

Consider how the type of device and its design may impact on any adjacent traffic routes.

Referral and Obtaining Authorisation

Major Traffic Control Devices authorisation (see Volume 1 Chapter 2 Authorisation of Traffic Control
Devices of this manual).

Comply with the Local Government Act (1989) requirements (see Volume 1 Chapter 1, Section 1.4.6
Some Local Government Act Requirements of this manual).

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8.2 Good Design Practice

8.2.1 Local Area Speed Zones
In Victoria, the general urban speed limit of 50 km/h applies to most streets in a local traffic area. Unless a
local street is a direct continuation of a road with a higher speed limit, speed limit signs will generally not be
required in a local area to create the 50 km/h limit. On some collector roads or major access roads a 60
km/h speed limit may be appropriate. If so, it will need to be signed.
It may be appropriate to introduce a 40 km/h speed limit throughout a local traffic area or precinct. The
area-wide application of a 40 km/h local speed limit will often require local area traffic management works
to have been undertaken to limit speeds across the area to about 40 km/h. An area speed limit is signed
by installing a Speed Limit AREA sign (R4-10) facing each entry into the area and an END Speed Limit
AREA sign (R4-11) facing each exit.
Signed 40 km/h speed limits may also be applied in local streets near schools (may be time based or
permanent) and on streets which are designated as pedestrian or bicycle priority routes.
Speed limit signs are Major Traffic Control Devices (Major TCDs) under the Road Safety (Traffic
Management) Regulations 2009 and their approval is not delegated to councils. VicRoads written consent
is required to erect, establish, display, maintain or remove the signs required in the creation or alteration of
any speed zone or area. The consultation process and management of stakeholder feedback is
undertaken by the responsible road authority (which is Council in the case of local roads).
Further information on speed zoning is in Volume 1 Chapter 7 Speed Zoning Guidelines of this manual.

8.2.2 Siting, Spacing and Combination of LATM Devices

The location of existing services, drainage pits, poles, driveways, pram crossings and street lighting must
be considered when selecting sites for LATM devices.
Table 8.1 provides advice on the spacing of devices - or bends in the road - to achieve particular target
street speeds.
Speed at the Slow Point
or Bend

Maximum length of street between slow points or bends to limit the target street speed to:
30 km/h

40 km/h

50 km/h

20 km/h

75 - 100 m

100 - 140 m

120 - 155 m

25 km/h

45 m

80 m

135 m

30 km/h

65 m

115 m

35 km/h

50 m

100 m

40 km/h

80 m

45 km/h

60 m

Table 8.1: Slow Point Speed and Length of Street Between Slow Points
LATM devices may be used in combination for increased effectiveness or to reinforce their function e.g. the
combination of a slow point and a road hump. But road humps should not be located where pedestrians
may mistake them for pedestrian crossings. In such situations the hump should be separated from the
pedestrian route or a signed pedestrian crossing on the hump should be created (subject to VicRoads
authorisation for both Major TCDs). A non linear street alignment may be created by locating offset slow
points at intervals along alternate sides of a wide street.

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8.2.3 Design for Large Vehicles

All streets and all properties must be accessible for emergency vehicles. LATM plans should be discussed
with emergency service providers to ensure they allow appropriate access. In planning, the Freightliner
Pumper Tanker which is the current MFB design vehicle should be used. The properties of this vehicle are:

Height 3.26 m

Width 2.5 m

Length 8.75 m

Weight (GVW) 15.3 t

Turn radius 9.9 m

Buses must be able to negotiate all LATM devices situated on bus routes and on access routes to schools.
Operators should be consulted prior to the design phase and their written agreement obtained to the
proposed devices. Where it is difficult for a large vehicle to negotiate a particular device or a particular
street and the correct design vehicle and checking vehicle have been used when designing the device,
warning signs should be provided to discourage large vehicles from entering that street. Where the correct
design vehicle and checking vehicle have not been used, the device(s) will need to be modified, replaced
or removed so that the appropriate vehicles do have access.
Where a dispute exists between a council and another party regarding issues of trucks, buses or
emergency vehicles the matter should be referred to the VicRoads Regional Director for resolution.
Volume 1 Chapter 10 of this manual provides further information about the design for trucks, buses and
emergency vehicles.

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8.3 Design Guidelines for Devices

8.3.1 Road Humps
A road hump is defined in the Austroads Guide to Traffic Management Part 8: Local Area Traffic
Management (2008) Section 7.2.1.
There are two approved Type 1 hump profiles for on road use: a curved hump commonly called the Watts
hump and the flat top hump. The use and installation of these road humps is to be in accordance with the
Austroads Guide to Traffic Management Part 8: Local Area Traffic Management (2008) Sections 7.2.1 and
7.2.3.
Any raised table where the gradient of the ramp is steeper than 1:20 is a road hump under these
guidelines. A profile with ramps flatter than 1:20 is not considered a road hump.
The use of sinusoidal profile road humps is not encouraged in Victoria.

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8.3.2 Road Hump Signing

The standard road hump warning sign (W5-10) at each hump may be waived in streets where adequate
advisory signing has been installed at the entries to the street.
At the beginning of any road in which a series of humps are constructed, the symbolic advance warning
sign, Road humps ahead (W3-4) and the Next... (distance).. m (W8-17-2) should be erected on one side
of the carriageway facing entering traffic. A general arrangement for signing is shown below in Figure 8.1.
Generally it is not necessary to use both Road humps ahead signs and Hump Warning signs where the
humps are spaced 80 to 120 metres apart and are clearly visible.
SIGN W3-4 & W8-17-2

SIGN W5-10 & W8-2

SIGN A

SIGN B

Humps ahead warning sign (W3-4) and

Next ....m (W8-17-2) to be used in
advance of an isolated hump or at the
start of a series of humps.

Road hump sign (W5-10) and advisory

speed sign (W8-2) to be used at an
isolated hump or at the leading hump in
a series.
Not normally required where the humps are
part of an area wide LATM scheme.

Sign A - W3-4 & W8-17-2

Sign B - W5-10 & W8-2

Figure 8.1: Type 1 Road Hump Scheme

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8.3.3 Off Road Hump - Type 2

The Type 2 road hump is considered appropriate only for off-road locations such as carparks, private
access roads and caravan parks where vehicle speeds are very low. The road hump shape should
conform generally to the cross-section detailed in Figure 8.2. The standard hump warning sign (W5-10)
may be used at each hump with an advisory speed sign (W8-2) although their use may be waived if a sign
is provided at the entry. Pavement markings should be used on the hump as illustrated in Figure 8.2
unless different light coloured paving material is used to distinguish the hump.
Care should be exercised when proposing use of Type 2 humps in areas where prams and shopping
trolleys travel or where low clearance ground equipment operates (e.g. forklifts). Road humps should be
located so that they will not inhibit drainage and should not be within vehicle manoeuvring areas.

Figure 8.2: Type 2 Road Hump (Off Road)

8.3.4 Splitter Islands

Splitter islands can be used as a means of improving safety by channelising traffic, improving intersection
conspicuity and providing pedestrian refuges at an intersection (see Figure 8.3). They may be used to
reduce the volume of through traffic by limiting the capacity of traffic leaving the local street. They also
provide motorists with a clear indication they are entering a local street.

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Figure 8.3: Splitter Island

APPROPRIATE LOCATIONS

Where there is a need to reduce the capacity of an intersection as part of a LATM scheme.

At all points of transition between boundary roads and local streets, i.e. at gateways to residential areas.

Residential streets with high volumes of through traffic.

Where there is a need to reduce entry speed of vehicles to a short residential street, (i.e. less than 500 m long).

Where there is a need to provide a pedestrian refuge at an intersection.

To control turning traffic and prevent corner cutting.

At the entrances to a local traffic area.

ADVANTAGES

May discourage through traffic by reducing intersection

capacity, for instance, reducing a two lane exit of a local
street to one lane may divert drivers to other routes.

Reduces entry speeds at the intersection.

Reduces the carriageway width to be crossed by

pedestrians.

Increases vehicular and pedestrian safety at an

intersection.

Provides physical separation of traffic.

Can improve intersection definition.

DISADVANTAGES

Splitter islands have little effect on mid-block vehicle

speeds in long streets.

May be restrictive for emergency and service vehicles.

May increase traffic volumes in other nearby streets.

Effectiveness limited unless complemented by other

devices in the street.

Can create a squeeze point for cyclists.

DESIGN PRINCIPLES

Lane widths and the set back of the island at the intersecting street should be adequate to provide for the turning
requirements of service vehicles.

The overhang of a turning truck should be checked to ensure the safety of a pedestrian sheltering in the splitter island.

The width of a splitter island should not be less than 1.2 m for sheltering a sign. If the island is intended to be used as a
pedestrian refuge, a desirable minimum island width of 2 m should be provided. If fully mountable kerbs are used and the
splitter island is free of signs the width may be reduced below 1.2 m.

Requires good illumination.

Install a centre line over the last 30 m of the street and take it past the island on the left hand side and install white raised
reflective pavement markers at 6 m spacing.

A Keep Left sign is desirable to provide conspicuity at each end of the island.

An opening in the island should be provided for pedestrians, wheelchairs and prams, preferably at road pavement level.

Pram crossings should be provided on both sides of the intersection.

Minimum length of splitter island should be 8.0 m for adequate visual effect. (May be reduced to cater for driveways.)

Visual effect may be enhanced by the use of contrasting pavement materials with adequate skid resistance at the threshold.

Ensure parking restrictions are adequate to allow safe approach to and departure from the device.

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