Level crossing infrastructure upgrades
There are a number of infrastructure upgrade programs in Queensland which aim to improve or eliminate level crossings.
Open Level Crossing Protection Strategy
Under the current Transport Service Contract (Rail Infrastructure) (TSC(RI)), Transport and Main Roads is funding a $16.7 million program of assessments and safety improvements for open level crossings on the Government supported rail network.
This infrastructure upgrade program involves assessments and the subsequent installation of safety improvements such as:
- pedestrian mazes
- boom gates
- flashing lights
- additional signage.
All level crossings on the Government supported network have been assessed using the Australian Level Crossing Assessment Model (ALCAM). This is the national standard for assessing level crossings throughout Australia and New Zealand.
To date, 96 per cent of the open level crossings on the Government supported network have received safety upgrades in accordance with recommendations.
Queensland Rail is currently planning safety upgrades on the remaining open level crossings.
Boom Gates for Rail Crossings program
Under the Federal Governments - Nation Building Economic Stimulus Plan, Queensland was allocated $42.74 million to upgrade 66 open level crossings across Queensland.
The program focused on the installation of boom gates, however also included other forms of active and passive protection.
Selection was based on accident history, near miss data, as well as local knowledge of the level crossings.
All 66 level crossings were upgraded between April 2009 and August 2010.
Rail Crossing Grade Separation Program
The intersection of road and rail at level crossings can be eliminated by constructing a grade separation.
Grade separations detach the road from the rail track, meaning traffic can flow through both road and rail without impeding one another. For example, a road bridge over a railway line is considered a grade separation.
Transport and Main Roads has funded two major grade separations in recent years:
- Acacia Ridge grade separation
- Beerwah Rail Crossing Project.
