At Quantum Traffic, our wheelhouse is Traffic Impact Assessments. In fact, we are among Victoria’s top traffic consultants, ensuring our clients consistently achieve outstanding results.
Councils frequently require Traffic Impact Assessment Reports (TIAR) as a necessary step in evaluating and approving development proposals.
Although councils may ask for these reports during the RFI stage, town planners, architects, and designers often pursue them proactively to streamline the planning approval process.
Continue reading as we explore everything you need to know about Traffic Impact Assessments (TIA) and why your development will require one.
What is a Traffic Impact Assessment?
As the name suggests, Traffic Impact Assessments (also known as a Traffic Impact Analysis or Traffic Engineering Report) analyse a development's impact in traffic from all aspects, including:
Car parking
Vehicle access, including ramp design
Traffic generation and distribution
Traffic impacts
Safety Assessment
Waste collection
Bicycle parking
And any site specific requirements
What is the purpose of a Traffic Impact Assessment?
These assessments assist local authorities and developers understand how new projects will influence car parking conditions, traffic dynamics, safety, connectivity and accessibility in the area. Ultimately, a TIA will ensure that a proposed development does not unreasonably impact on the traffic and car parking infrastructure in the surrounding areas.
Traffic impact of developments
A traffic impact assessment largely falls within the requirements of the local requirements whether that be the Planning Scheme in Victoria, Territory Plan in the ACT or DCP in NSW, which is why they are required on most development applications, particularly major developments.
Quantum Traffic regularly complete Traffic Impact Assessment Reports (TIAR) for a number of kinds of developments, including (but not limited to):
Industrial developments (warehouses, industry, showrooms)
Commercial developments (offices, childcare centres, medical centres, gyms)
Retail developments (restaurants, shopping centres, cafes, etc)
Educational Facilities (new schools, Master Planning, Universities)
Mixed-use developments
Residential developments (residential subdivisions, high-density, medium density, townhouse and apartment-style developments)
Special Use (Karate, dance studios, swim schools, wellness centres, etc)
With extensive experience in residential, public, and commercial projects of all sizes, we are well-equipped to prepare TIAs for any project while adhering to all relevant requirements across the eastern states of Australia.
What is included in a Traffic Impact Assessment?
For various types of developments, we typically focus on the same key aspects:
How many car spaces is your development required to provide or is a car parking reduction being sought?
Can less car spaces be justified?
Can off-site parking be relied on?
How has the car parking and vehicle access been designed, including car parking ramp design, mechanical car parking installations, car lifts, efficiency of car park, etc.?
Is the level of traffic generated in and out of the car park able to be accommodated?
What are the potential risks identified (conflict points, obstructed view lines, need for convex mirrors, pedestrian safety issues, and the likelihood of pinch points reducing car park efficiency)?
Bicycle parking requirements and opportunities, including End OF Trip Facilities (EOTF)?
How will loading be undertaken and waste be stored/collected?
A traffic impact assessment also evaluates environmentally conscious factors, such as how individuals can access the development using sustainable transportation options (e.g., walking, cycling, or public transport). It also considers whether the development will include provisions for electric vehicles (EVs) or bicycle charging stations.
All these factors converge to provide a comprehensive assessment of a development's traffic engineering impacts.
Our highly skilled team brings specialised knowledge and expertise to identify potential challenges and create effective strategies tailored to your project’s unique requirements.
Traffic engineering is often subject to stringent guidelines that can differ significantly by location. With offices in Canberra, Sydney, and Melbourne, we are well-versed in the local regulations and standards for each city, enabling us to assist you effectively across all development types.
If you’re planning a development in Melbourne (VIC), Sydney (NSW), Canberra (ACT) or Brisbane (QLD) and want to make sure that your Development Application (DA) is not met with apprehension from relevant authorities, get in contact with us today for a free, a no-obligation Traffic Impact Assessment quote.
Call 1300 756 216, enquire online, or email admin@quantumtraffic.com.au.
Comments