A South-East Queensland initiative to reduce road collisions involving wildlife, across a 3700km road network, has received national recognition.
The City of Moreton Bay’s Green Infrastructure Network Delivery Program has taken out the Local Government category at the Australian Road Safety Awards.
Mayor Peter Flannery said since 2014 the program had delivered road safety infrastructure at hundreds of locations across Moreton Bay.
“From wildlife bridges to vehicle activated LED signs, Council has rolled out road safety infrastructure at more than 1290 locations across its 3700km road network,” Mayor Flannery said.
He said the award was a testament to Council’s efforts in driving down the occurrence of wildlife collisions.
“These crashes can be devastating, resulting in motorist fatalities, hospitalisations and injuries. Statistics show collisions involving wildlife account for between 2 percent and 3 percent of all fatal road crashes.
“The animals hit often die or are injured, while the vehicles involved are often written off or sustain substantial damage.”
Mayor Flannery said the program was focused on improving road safety as the region experience rising traffic volumes from a growing population.
He said the installation of critical infrastructure was designed to get kangaroos, koalas and other species off roads, while other initiatives increase driver awareness of the potential for collisions.
“Since 2014, the program has delivered fauna crossing infrastructure such as exclusion fencing, underpasses, and over-pavement wildlife bridges.
“Council also undertook a successful world-first trial of Endeavour Veterinary Ecology’s fauna escape hatch, rolling out 16 of the devices, designed to provide koalas a one-way exit from road corridors at collision hotspots across the City during last year’s breeding season.”
Mayor Flannery said Council had also installed of 130 vehicle-activated LED signs which provided real-time road safety information to motorists and raised awareness in koala and kangaroo zones.
