The development of a strategic approach to rural road management

Many local road networks include a large number of low traffic volume, and/or low standard roads. The LGAQ/Main Roads alliance, increasing user expectations and non-feasance issues are driving the demand for improvement of these roads. This demand is in conflict with the need to keep the costs to road users and ratepayers at an acceptable level. This paper describes: 1. A process to develop a series of maintenance and construction standards, tailored to different functional road categories that provides a balance between service level provision and affordability; and 2. A consultation approach that ensures there is widespread acceptance of these standards by building an understanding of the performance-cost tradeoffs made. The development of a greater understanding by road users and other stakeholders of the issues affecting the road network and their costs promotes cost-effective management of these roads through the minimisation of reactive road works. The processes described achieve community endorsement of the road work activities undertaken by councils on, and through the fact that they have had a say in the planning of these works.