Federal government gets serious on smart technologies.
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Treasurer Wayne Swan’s latest budget will provide $61m to fund technologies which will help motorists move faster.
The funding to be dished out to state governments to conduct studies and trials on ‘smart technology’ including managed motorway systems, freight prioritisation, as well as variable travel times and message signs.
These are to be carried out on four major motorways including M1 West Gate Freeway (Victoria), the M4 Western Motorway (Sydney), the Gateway Motorway (Queensland) and another motorway in Western Australia, yet to be confirmed.
Other projects already earmarked include variable speed limits on the Gateway Motorway in Queensland and upgrading the intelligent transport system already in place on the Victorian M1 West Gate.
“The Government will invest $61 million in the development of National Smart Managed Motorways to reduce congestion and workers’ travel times,” it states in the budget papers.
State government’s themselves will also fund part of the initiatives.
