Strategic fit for road improvements

Introduction

This section sets out the guidance on assessing strategic fit for activities within the road improvements activity classes, including local roads, state highways and regional improvements, for the 2015-18 NLTP A National Land Transport Programme Interrelated and complementary combination of activities that, when delivered in a coordinated manner, produce synergies – can span more than one work category and more than one activity class, e.g. a programme could include a road improvement and public transport improvement activities. adopted by the NZTA under section 19 of the LTMA, as from time to time amended or varied .

The road improvements activity classes include:

• Work category 321 – New traffic management facilities
• Work category 322 – Replacement of bridges and structures
• Work category 323 – New roads
• Work category 324 – Road reconstruction
• Work category 325 – Seal extension
• Work category 331 – Property purchase – state highways
• Work category 332 – Property purchase – local roads
• Work category 333 – Advance property purchase
• Work category 341 – Minor improvements
• Work category 351 – Resilience improvements

This section also provides definitions for:

• high crash risk
• medium crash risk

Default strategic fit

By default, the strategic fit rating for road improvements is low.

Requirements for medium rating

A medium strategic fit rating may be given if the problem, issue or opportunity involves:

• journeys for:
  • employment,
  • access to economic opportunities, including activities identified in regional economic growth strategies or in support of special housing area orders
  • access to social opportunities,
  • tourism, or
  • freight;

where a demonstrated gap in the customer levels of service has been identified for:  

• • journey time reliability The reliability of trips on the network, as defined in section A4.5 of the NZTA's Economic evaluation manual. Improvements in journey time reliability Journey time reliability is the reliability of trips on the network, as defined in section 3.5 of the NZTA's Economic evaluation manual, volume 1. Improvements in journey time reliability will reduce the level of unpredictable variations in journey times, which are experienced for a journey undertaken at broadly the same time every day. will reduce the level of unpredictable variations in journey times, which are experienced for a journey undertaken at broadly the same time every day. ,
  • resilience The ability of the network to withstand, or recover quickly after a disruption. The availability and restoration of each facility when there is a weather or emergency event, whether there is an alternative route available and the road user information provided.  This can be measured through the number of journeys impacted by unplanned events, or acceptable risk where there is no viable alternative access should it be closed by an unplanned event. (including lifelines),
  • mismatched capacity and demand that results in congestion congestion is where the volume to capacity ratio exceeds 80% for 5 days per week over at least a 1 hour time period that affects at least 1.5 km of a route.  For information on the volume to capacity ratio, see Appendix A3 of the NZTA's Economic Evaluation Manual , and/or
  • mismatched capacity and demand that results in capacity constraints When demand, in terms of volume or load, routinely exceeds operating capacity

OR

• a medium crash risk

Requirements for high rating

A road improvement activity must only be given a high strategic fit rating if the problem, issue or opportunity involves:

• Journeys for: 
  • employment,
  • access to economic opportunities, including activities identified in regional economic growth strategies and in support of special housing area orders
  • tourism, or
  • freight;

has a significant gap in the customer levels of service for: 

•  
  • journey time reliability The reliability of trips on the network, as defined in section A4.5 of the NZTA's Economic evaluation manual. Improvements in journey time reliability Journey time reliability is the reliability of trips on the network, as defined in section 3.5 of the NZTA's Economic evaluation manual, volume 1. Improvements in journey time reliability will reduce the level of unpredictable variations in journey times, which are experienced for a journey undertaken at broadly the same time every day. will reduce the level of unpredictable variations in journey times, which are experienced for a journey undertaken at broadly the same time every day. ,
  • resilience The ability of the network to withstand, or recover quickly after a disruption. The availability and restoration of each facility when there is a weather or emergency event, whether there is an alternative route available and the road user information provided.  This can be measured through the number of journeys impacted by unplanned events, or acceptable risk where there is no viable alternative access should it be closed by an unplanned event. (including lifelines),
  • mismatched capacity and demand that results in severe congestion Severe congestion congestion is where the volume to capacity ratio exceeds 80% for 5 days per week over at least a 1 hour time period that affects at least 1.5 km of a route.  For information on the volume to capacity ratio, see Appendix A3 of the NZTA's Economic Evaluation Manual is where the volume to capacity ratio exceeds 100% for 5 days per week over at least 1 hour in a time period on at least 3 km of a route and the average annual daily traffic (AADT) is greater than 20,000 vehicles per day.
    For information on the volume to capacity ratio, refer to Appendix A3 of the NZTA's Economic Evaluation Manual , and/or
  • mismatched capacity and demand that results in capacity constraints When demand, in terms of volume or load, routinely exceeds operating capacity

AND/OR

• provides access to housing development in high growth urban areas

  Either:
  “a resident population of over 30,000 people according to the most recent Statistics New Zealand urban area resident population estimates"
  or
  "at any point in the year a combined resident population and visitor population of over 30,000 people, using most recent Statistics New Zealand urban area resident population estimates"
  and
  "in which the resident population of that urban area is projected to grow by more than 10 percent between 2013 to 2023, according to the most recent Statistics New Zealand medium urban area population projections for 2013(base)-2023”.
  
  This definition is from the National Policy Statement on Urban Development Capacity 2016. It is a transitional definition, and will be reviewed and amended no later than 31 December 2018.
  

  Only those councils which are in, or part of, a high growth urban area, as at September 2016 are eligible for funding through the HIF. Those councils include:

  Auckland Council, Hamilton City Council, Tauranga City Council, Christchurch City Council and Queenstown-Lakes District The district of a territorial authority. In relation to land in respect of which a Minister of the Crown is the Council, that land. Council; and 

  Waikato District The district of a territorial authority. In relation to land in respect of which a Minister of the Crown is the Council, that land. Council, Waipa District Council, Western Bay of Plenty District Council, Selwyn District Council and Waimakariri District Council to the extent that parts of these councils form part of a high-growth urban area.

  .

AND/OR

• a high crash risk

 High crash risk definition

The intersection, corridor or route is assessed to be high or medium to high collective risk according to one or more of the following definitions in:

• The High-Risk Intersections Guide; or
• The High-Risk Rural Roads Guide; or
• Urban KiwiRAP corridor risk mapping protocols; or
• Safer Journeys for Motorcycling on New Zealand Roads.

Notes:

1. The acceptable methods of determining high-risk from the High-Risk Intersections Guide are:

   A. Where 3 or more fatal and serious crashes have been reported at an intersection in a 5 year period, or 5 or more in a 10 year period.

   B. Where the estimated DSI Number of deaths and serious casualties. May be reported , estimated or predicted. To avoid confusion if describing estimated or predicted risk, it is described as DSI equivalents. (deaths and serious casualties) casualty equivalents (Collective Risk) at an intersection is ≥1.1 (based on a 5 year period) i.e. High or Medium-High Collective Risk.

2. The acceptable methods of determining high-risk from the High-Risk Rural Roads Guide are:
   A. Where the number of fatal and serious crashes along a route results in a High or Medium-High Collective Risk, as calculated from Figure 4-1 and based on a 5 year period; or
   B. Where the number of fatal and serious crashes per 100 million vehicle kilometres travelled along a route results in a High Personal Risk, as calculated from Figure 4-2 and based on a 5 year period; or
   C. The route has a Star Rating of ≤2.
3. The acceptable methods of determining high-risk from Urban KiwiRAP are:

A. Where the estimated DSI Number of deaths and serious casualties. May be reported , estimated or predicted. To avoid confusion if describing estimated or predicted risk, it is described as DSI equivalents. casualty equivalents along a corridor results in a High or Medium-High Collective Risk, based on a 5 year period; or

B. Where the estimated DSI Number of deaths and serious casualties. May be reported , estimated or predicted. To avoid confusion if describing estimated or predicted risk, it is described as DSI equivalents. casualty equivalents per 100 million kilometres travelled along a corridor is greater than 20 (based on a 5 year period) and there have been 3 or more injury crashes in the past 5 years.

4. The acceptable method of determining high-risk from Safer Journeys The government's strategy to guide improvements in road safety over the period 2010–2020. http://www.transport.govt.nz/saferjourneys/Pages/default.aspx for Motorcycling on New Zealand Roads is where the number of motorcycle injury crashes along the route per year per km results in a High or Medium-High Collective Risk, as calculated from Figure 4-1 and has 2 or more motorcycle injury crashes in a 5 year period or 4 or more in a 10 year period.

 Medium crash risk definition

The intersection, corridor or route is assessed to be medium collective or medium-high personal risk according to one or more of the following definitions in:

• The High-Risk Intersections Guide; or
• The High-Risk Rural Roads Guide; or
• Urban KiwiRAP corridor risk mapping protocols; or
• Safer Journeys for Motorcycling on New Zealand Roads.

Notes:

1. The acceptable methods of determining medium-risk from the High-Risk Intersections Guide are:

   A. Where the estimated DSI Number of deaths and serious casualties. May be reported , estimated or predicted. To avoid confusion if describing estimated or predicted risk, it is described as DSI equivalents. casualty equivalents (Collective Risk) at an intersection is ≥0.6 (based on a 5 year period) i.e. Medium Collective Risk; or,

   B. Where the estimated DSI Number of deaths and serious casualties. May be reported , estimated or predicted. To avoid confusion if describing estimated or predicted risk, it is described as DSI equivalents. casualty equivalents per 100 million vehicle kilometres travelled (Personal Risk) at an intersection is ≥16 (based on a 5 year period) i.e. Medium-High Personal Risk.

2. The acceptable methods of determining medium-risk from High-Risk Rural Roads Guide are:

A. Where the number of fatal and serious crashes along a route results in a Medium Collective Risk, based on a 5 year period; or

B. Where the number of fatal and serious crashes per 100 million vehicle kilometres travelled along a route results in a Medium-High Personal Risk, as calculated from Figure 4-2 and based on a 5 year period.

3. The acceptable method of determining medium-risk from the Urban KiwiRAP are:

A. Where the estimated DSI Number of deaths and serious casualties. May be reported , estimated or predicted. To avoid confusion if describing estimated or predicted risk, it is described as DSI equivalents. casualty equivalents along a corridor results in a Medium Collective Risk, based on a 5 year period; or

B. Where the estimated DSI Number of deaths and serious casualties. May be reported , estimated or predicted. To avoid confusion if describing estimated or predicted risk, it is described as DSI equivalents. casualty equivalents per 100 million kilometres travelled along a corridor is greater than 12 (based on a 5 year period) and there have been 2 or more injury crashes in the past 5 years.

4. The acceptable method of determining medium -risk from Safer Journeys The government's strategy to guide improvements in road safety over the period 2010–2020. http://www.transport.govt.nz/saferjourneys/Pages/default.aspx for Motorcycling on New Zealand Roads is where the number of motorcycle injury crashes along the route per year per km results in a Medium Collective Risk, as calculated from Figure 4-1.