Bridge approach guardrail prioritisation

[Abstract]: Bridge approach guardrail is needed to protect errant vehicles on bridge approaches from potentially fatal objects. These approach guardrails are needed to be kept up to current standards to ensure the safety of the general public. With standards changing periodically and limited funding for these types of projects being available a substantial amount of bridge approach guardrail in the southern district of main roads has fallen behind current expected standards. Therefore the need to prioritise the remedial work to be done on these approach guardrails is apparent. This project has produced a tool that can be used to prioritise where resources should be allocated for work on approach guardrail. Attempts have previously been made to develop such a tool and have also been used to prioritise guardrail upgrading in other areas however it is believed that these tools have failed to take into account certain features of approach guardrail and its surrounding environment that are believed to have a significant bearing on the safety of the approach guardrail. The assessment method has been developed as a risk based prioritisation approach. The bridge approach guardrail sites are evaluated against the consequence (guardrail components) and likelihood (external factors) of a collision with the bridge approach guardrail. The prioritisation tool developed in this project has been assessed and shown to be a suitable tool for prioritising remedial work on bridge approach guardrail. This was achieved through the compilation of a priority listing of the bridge sites in the study area. This project was based in the Southern District of Main Roads and the results will be significantly for their benefit but it is also expected that the prioritisation tool developed will be able to be used in other locations