Speed Limits

[Phillip McCallum]

 

Hi team,

 

It is great to see the completion of the Hume and the near completion of the Pacific Hwy to near freeway standards.  But I am left wondering if the speed limit for these roads will be left at 110 forever or if there is any appetite to lift them to 120 or 130?  Overall they are the best quality country roads in Australia, perhaps they could justify having a slightly higher speed limit to the Warrago Hwy in western Queensland with all its imperfections.

 

Some thoughts on this:

 

- there are sections which could easily justify higher limits and sections that perhaps are not up to that standard, so it may end up that higher limits only apply to some sections.

 

- I keep wondering why they don’t lift the limit for some types of vehicles?  There is already a truck limit different to the general limit in many environments.  What if we instituted a policy where cars with certain safety features or those newer than 5 years could have a higher limit?  With camera detection in full swing these days, anyone going faster than 110 could be photographed, but when the record is matched with the registration records (which already happens), the car’s capacity for higher speeds would be noted and the offence ruled out.

 

- Variable speed limits could also be applied based on weather conditions.

 

- If they asked me, I would suggest the limit is only lifted by 10 for now but if this seemed to work it could be reconsidered again. 

 

Love to know your thoughts.

 

 

Phillip

[kakaduhwy21]

I'd also want these things to Happen. I'd also want Barton Highway to be 120km/h after the new upgrades. The Hume "Motorway" should be 120km/h but the Pacific shouldn't. If the Stuart could handle it, then the Hume could also handle it. For the Pacific Motorway (Syd-Newcastle) its too slippery and wet, it should stay 110km/h.

I think they should  do a 130km/h trial on this route

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/-34.5170808,150.3003654/-34.0620289,150.7850751/@-34.2771799,150.1180734,10.14z/data=!4m2!4m1!3e0

up to the A31 sign.

[kakaduhwy21]

I would also like the Hume Motorway to be a Smart Motorway up to Berrima, with variable speed limits so traffic wouldn't be a problem

[thegwh32]

I think it should be M31 with a 130 speed limit up to Berrima, and then just A31 to the VIC border with a 110 speed limit

[Paul Rands]

Hi Phillip,

I'd be a support of higher limits in some areas. 130 km/h along more isolated sections, and 110 (up from 100) in others.

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[kakaduhwy21]

I'd also want Goulburn to Bookham to be 130km/h

A few others:

1. Once Barton Hwy is upgraded the Hume to Murrumbateman as 130km/h and the rest to be 120 km/h

2. M1 Pacific Motorway - Sancrox to Raleigh

3. Federal Highway

4. Grafton Bypass (120km/h - not 130km/h)

5. Hunter Expressway (Heddon Gretta to Gretta - 120km/h not 130km/h)
6. Bits of the Newell Highway

7. Bits of the Sturt Highway

8. Bits of the Barrier Highway

[harley.b...@gmail.com]

None of these will happen unfortunately. With the A1 upgrade from Geelong to Colac, it's been duplicated to an identical standard as the southern half of the Hume in New South Wales (perhaps even a better standard) and is still 100km/h, with similar traffic volumes to the Hume. 

As for the Newell, I'm surprised it's still 110km/h almost all the way through. It was reduced to 100 when the Labor state government were in, the LNP increased it back to 110km/h. It's sure to go back to 100km/h when Labor are next in, as it's a bit of a political football (similar to the Stuart with the 130/unlimited debate, but that tug of war seems over now). It's frustrating to see really, as the billions to be spent on upgrades over the next 20 years on the Newell won't really improve travel times outside of freight at all. 

The Sturt won't go above 110km/h but maybe the Mallee Highway will increase to 110km/h from Ouyen to Balranald if they ever upgrade it sufficiently (it's already 110km/h west of Ouyen).

Roads with very low volumes such as the Mitchell Highway from Bourke through to Augathella, the Kamilaroi Highway from Walgett to Bourke, the Flinders Highway from Hughenden to Julia Creek, and the Landsborough Highway from Longreach to McKinlay could do with a 130km/h limit, but I'm sure plenty of motorists already do those sort of speeds with such low traffic volumes and police presence anyway. 

[doratroad23 (formerly kakaduhwy21)]

not if you decided to start a petition

[TransportRC]

The issue is most of the Hume is not motorway standard, it’s a dual carriageway. Most dual carriageways are 110km around the world. I think the best place to start with 120-130km speed limits is the hunter expressway. Quite Newly built road and very straight and actual motorway/expressway standard.

[#130km/hforthehume]

It's also hard since it goes right at the edge of the GDR, which makes 130 difficult on all three. Hume, Federal and Calder.

[#130km/hforthehume]

I recently made a proposal, but I never posted it here, but here it is. In that, I neither included the Hume (mostly, but I did include a little bit) or the Hunter Expressway. Most of it affects central and western NSW and SA. Here it is

• Pacific Highway. 120-130km/h Pacific Motorway (Syd-Newcastle) being just 120. Qld section: 110
• Routes across the Great Dividing Range. As it is. Including most of the Hume up to Yass, Federal and much more
• Mitchell Highway. 100 from Bathurst to Orange. 110 from Orange to Wellington. 120 from Wellington to Dubbo. 130 from Dubbo to Nyngan. 140 from Nyngan to Bourke. 130 from Bourke to Qld border. 120 from NSW border to Alt-A2 junction
• Picton Rd. 110. Up from 100. Quite straight.
• Sturt Highway. 110 from Tarcutta to Wagga. 120 from Wagga to Narendra and 140 from Narendra to Balranald. 110 west of Balranald up to Kingston on Murray. 130 west of KoM to Nuriootpa and 110 from Nuriootpa to Radelaide.
• Barrier Highway. 130-140. Depending on the section
• Stuart Highway. 130 in SA and the Top end. No speed limit from B11 to Tennant Creek
• Eyre Highway. 130 entirely
• GNH and GEH. 120-130 in some sections. 110 in others, and 100 on some bends
•  Silver City Highway. No speed limit from Wentworth to Broken Hill, and 130 from Broken Hill to Tibooburra
• Gwydir and Oxley west of A15. 110. West of A39. 120-130
• Mid western highway. 130
• A6 from Townsville to Mt. Isa. 130
• A7 rural qld: 120
• NH1 in North WA. 130
• Hume. 130 for only from Gundagai to Woomargama. 110 for the rest of it.
• B87: 130
• B75. 120 for paved sections and 100 for unpaved
• Kamilaroi Hwy (B76): 130
• B83 in SA: 130

And should it not be obvious, this does not include urban areas. You might think this looks NSW and SA centred. Unfortunately, I haven't been to WA to comment about rural highways there. Victoria and Tasmania is just a can't. Qld might need more, but this is all that I think is suitable.

On Saturday, July 10, 2021 at 7:07:23 AM UTC+10 TransportRC wrote:

[James Clarke]

When I drove to Adelaide from Perth in 2019 I sat on 130km/h for most of the Eyre Highway. The road is in good conditions, few corners and hills and apart from the 90 mile straight has wide shoulders. Shaved 45 mins off the estimated drive time  from Kalgoorlie to Border Village and that takes into account the dawdling we did at the Norseman and Caiguna roadhouses. 

[Paul R]

130 is conservative by comparison to some road users along there. That said, the police do laps all day along there so the chances of getting done a pretty good too, even at 130.

I personally think that 130 is a suitable speed for the route during the day in good conditions, but you still need to be very aware of animals on the road. On my trips across the Nullarbor I encountered quite a few things crossing or landing on the road that would total your car and possibly its occupants even at a lower speed. One of the trips I had to pull up for an eagle that landed in front of my car to feed on roadkill, its wingspan nearly as wide as the pavement itself, plus there was emus, wild horses and other things on that trip as well, particularly closer to Balladonia. On another trip, I cleaned up a kangaroo at Eucla, but managed to get away with a popped bumper clip, but could've been much worse.

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Paul Rands
li...@paulrands.com
WWW: http://www.expressway.online/

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[NateBenji]

I've done 130-160 km/h down the Hume Motorway/Highway/Freeway from Sydney to Melbourne in the past. There's not much difference between 110 and 130 in regards to road geometry and safety, only difference is increased stopping distance. The only highway I could confidently say would be suitable today with a 130+ km/h speed limit would be the Hume Motorway/Highway/Freeway. Likely also the Pacific Motorway/Highway as well after all the upgrades have completed but I have not driven on the road to say for sure. I'd actually restrict the speed limit to 110 km/h in urban areas (ie. from Wallan-Melbourne and Wilton/Campbeltown-Sydney) though for safety reasons. I have linked a report below by the ATSB and Monash University Accident Research Centre which investigates speed limit increases on Rural Roads. FYI all of the Hume Freeway in VIC and the vast majority of the Hume Motorway/Highway in NSW is classed as rural freeway/motorway standard, not dual carriageway.

Report: ROAD SAFETY RESEARCH REPORT CR 216 (monash.edu) 

[#130km/hforthehume]

130 may seem okay for cars on the Hume, but definitely not the trucks going at 70km/h. I'd be okay with it going up to 120km/h to align with more like South Africa's freeways, rather than 130 for a highway with crossroads.

But the Pacific once Coolongolook, Coffs and Hunter bypass have been completed has a chance of 130. Not only does it have few crossroads, but it is almost an actual freeway to US standards. 110 is far too slow for the Pacific, especially from Port Macquarie to Coffs. The road is also more straight, and the altitude goes no more than 300m, unlike the Hume's 700 ish m.

[NateBenji]

Trucks have always been limited to 100 km/h on Rural Freeways. You would most likely leave it that way but would increase the limit to 130 for cars and light commercials. Truck or Slow lanes might even be an option for safety reasons. Altitude actually isn't that much of a problem on the Hume, it's that gradual over the Great Dividing Range in NSW you can't even tell. Once you're in Victoria, the road is flat all the way to Melbourne. Only area I would be concerned with in terms of altitude would be just before Mittagong. Also, crossroads isn't that much of an issue considering there's many roads in Europe, notably Germany, which is of worse quality than what we have in Australia but have 130 km/h speed limits. If you're interested, there's a good research paper I've attached below from 2003 by the ATSB and Monash Accident Research Centre that investigates the possibility of 130 km/h speed limits on Rural Roads.

ROAD SAFETY RESEARCH REPORT CR 216 (monash.edu)

[Nihat]

would love to have 130 on the hume in victoria, given they have isolated 80km sections around certain at grade intersections unless these get upgraded its not going to happen. the road is designed for it though, compared to nsw its made up of long and mostly straight sections. with the upgraded wire rope barriers on the entire road its now a very safe road with only fatigue being a problem. 

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[#130km/hforthehume]

I have to sadly say the Hume would never be 130km/h in Victoria, unless something miracular happens. Unlike NSW or SA, Victoria rarely even signs 110km/h on undivided highways, and let alone 130. 120 however, would be more feasible, and much more likely to happen. Even in NSW, 120 is better, but again fatigue is much more a killer in NSW than Victoria.

[Musa Hodzic]

Speed limit increase just won't happen, and rightly so, when you consider the risk of death or injury multiplication for every km increase. Also, let's not forget that NSW was the last state to raise the state limit from 80 to 110 to line with other states. 120 km/h could (maybe) be an option and work only on LESS trafficable and high grade roads, but that is also looking dim, as the Hume and the Pacific are quite busy. It is not impossible though, as many countries have 120 km/h speed limits, but someone would have to sign off on that, i.e. put their name down to it, which carries responsibility. Driver training and road ethics are also less strict here than in some European countries, so that doesn't help either. Australia is a lot more "selfish" and in that way, similar to the US. Though in the US, there are 16 states that have the speed limit of 75 mph (120 km/h) and only 8 out of those 16 have the 80 mph limit (eq. to ~130 km/h).

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[Sam L]

I'd be interested to see some 130km/h posted roads from Germany that are comparable to the sections of the Hume with at-grade intersections. Can you link some examples?

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Subject: Re: [Aussie Highways] Re: Speed Limits