Wollongong Council Adopts Modern Road Maintenance Plan
Wollongong City Council will soon go to tender for an Intelligent Defect Management supplier following a successful trial of technology which monitors the condition of the road network via cameras installed on household waste collection trucks.
Council manages more than 1,000 kilometres of roads across the Local Government Area and has investigated more efficient ways to regularly monitor the condition of these roads.
Council undertook an initial 12-week trial of the technology to determine if damage to roads could be identified earlier, work prioritised and repaired in a timely manner. While this initial trial in May 2023 focused solely on potholes, Council was keen to understand the potential wider benefits of the technology.
A second trial phase commenced in mid-July 2024, with the scope broadened to include multiple road defects.
Intelligent Defect Management (IDM) identifies road defects like potholes, damaged signs, faded line markings, guard rail damage and cracking , allowing Council to identify and prioritise repairs based on the severity and risk to road users.
The trial captured defect data via cameras installed in six Remondis waste collection trucks and a further four Council vehicles. All the vehicles travel regular weekly routes and, together, cover around 90 per cent of Council’s Road Network each fortnight.
The data collected by the vehicles creates detailed mapping and monitoring of the road surface over time. The information gathered is also cross referenced with Customer Service requests.
Since the implementation of the trial, Council has identified and repaired more than 800 potholes.
“We’re always looking at new technology and best-practice methods when it comes to maintaining our vast road network,” Lord Mayor of Wollongong Councillor Tania Brown said.
“We have extensively trialled the IDM system and its merits are clear when it comes to identifying issues of concern. Utilising waste collection trucks that regularly travel on our roads network is a smart use of resources that can greatly reduce the time and cost of other methods of monitoring defects.”
While trucks travelling their regular routes can help identify major issues requiring immediate repair, the major long-term benefit of the technology is its use as a pre-emptive measure to identify issues early and allow for timely repairs.
This can help ensure Council can carry out less costly maintenance works to increase the life of roads rather than undertaking large-scale repairs at a much higher cost. Fully realised, the use of IDM can bring about improved road safety, a reduction in maintenance costs, and improved traffic efficiency.
“Road works and repairs form a significant part of Council’s works and budget,” Wollongong City Council Director Infrastructure and Works Joanne Page said.
“The regular mapping allows for a pre-emptive approach to improve the efficiency and cost effectiveness of our road maintenance processes and, most importantly, ensure the safety of our residents and road users.”
Council will look to formalise use of IDM through a tender process that will open shortly.
https://wolcc-search.funnelback.squiz.cloud/s/redirect?collection=wolcc~sp-news&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwollongong.nsw.gov.au%2Fcouncil%2Fnews%2Farticles%2Fmarch%2Fcouncil-taking-a-modern-approach-to-road-maintenance&index_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwollongong.nsw.gov.au%2F276649&auth=Udofs0OUHAul9NV%2Fo92RFw&profile=wollongong-city-council-news-search&rank=1&query=%21FunDoesNotExist%3Apadrenull