Lattix gaining popularity in Australia

Posted on Nov 10, 2009 - 12:20 PM

Lattix have only recently begun marketing passively safe and cost efficient safety structure solutions in Australia, but great progress has already been made. So far, Lattix have been approved by road authorities in four out of six Australian states.

Victoria

Vicroads has approved Lattix for use on 2 projects. The first installation is on Thompson Road, Carrum Downs in Victoria. The sign had originally been installed in the median on 3 Aluminium strutted posts. A Road Safety Audit picked up that as it was in a median, a vehicle could hit the Aluminium strutted post from behind. Potentially the vehicle could ride up the angled brace causing either a launch or a rollover. The rivets in strutted posts bases break fairly regularly while Lattix needs no maintenance.

The second Lattix installation in Australia came when West Gate Freeway Alliance needed to erect signs on frangible posts, but underground services conflicted with where foundations needed to be. They used Lattix for its strength, and offset the sign on the post. In this case it was their only option. West Gate Freeway Alliance is made up of Baulderstone, Hyder, Parsons Brinkerhoff, Thiess and Vicroads.

New South Wales

NSW RTA has accepted Lattix for use in New South Wales. The first sign was erected on the Ballina Bypass project. The Leighton/AECOM/SMEC/RTA Alliance chose Lattix to save money. Lattix is cheaper and quicker to install than a road safety barrier. Wire rope barriers have around a 15 % casualty rate, Lattix so far has a 0 % casualty rate. There have been over 100 reported crashes into Lattix installations, with 0 deaths and 0 serious injuries.

If a wire rope barrier is installed the road shoulder has to be widened behind it at a substantial addition in cost. Also, a vehicle that hits a barrier may have missed the signposts. This means some barrier crashes are totally avoidable.

Western Australia

Western Australia’s Department of Main Roads installed 3 signs as a trial of Lattix. They then insisted a fourth sign for the Fiona Stanley Hospital on the Kwinana Freeway be installed on Lattix as well. An out of control vehicle hit one of the truck prohibition signs on the Kwinana Freeway. A Main Roads spokesman said that they were very happy with the way the Lattix installation performed. Read the article here:

WA traditionally use the AASHTO design of heavy Universal Column slip base posts. The fuse plates of these posts have been a weak point and a maintenance issue after high winds or where buffeted by passing traffic.

Queensland

ASP Group is proud to be part of the Queensland Government’s “Safer Roads Sooner Program”. Some of the Solagen SAS signs will be mounted on Lattix posts depending on the site and the District’s preference. The alternative to Lattix is steel slip base posts.

The installation that was hit in Cairns was part of this trial. ASP Group has replacement Lattix posts in stock and is ready to replace the post. Steel Slip Base posts for these SAS take 8 to 10 weeks to manufacture. That means a long wait until the sign is replaced which is not good enough. Trials of the Solagen signs have shown reductions in speed of around 10km/h for 5 km beyond the sign.