From Superinnovators 31/10/23. This article is in TLDR (Too Long Didn’t Read) format which is popular in the innovation community and provides a bullet summary of information.
- Introduction: Melbourne’s Burnley Tunnel has recently undergone significant technological advancements, with Transurban introducing an $8m ($13m AUD) innovative lighting system in 2023 aimed at improving traffic flow and reducing congestion.
- Tunnel challenges: The Burnley Tunnel, one of the busiest stretches of road in Australia, presents unique challenges. It is much steeper and deeper than most realise, causing drivers to slow down, especially during the ascent towards the exit. This often leads to congestion and backlogs.
- Pacemaker lighting: The ‘pacemaker’ lighting system is only the second such system in the world and consists of a green band of moving light that acts as a visual cue for drivers, encouraging them to maintain a consistent speed, especially on the uphill sections of the tunnel.
- Significant impact: Early results indicate that the new lighting system has been effective. Drivers are now traversing the tunnel almost 50 seconds faster than before, as reported by Transurban on X (formerly Twitter).
- AI-Driven solution: The introduced lights are AI-generated and are designed to move 15km/h faster than the current speed of traffic in the tunnel, without exceeding the 80km/h speed limit. This encourages drivers to keep pace, especially during the steep 65-metre ascent.
- Inspiration from Tokyo: The idea for the Burnley Tunnel’s pacemaker lights was inspired by a similar system in the Tokyo Bay Aqua-Line road and tunnel in Japan. The Tokyo system demonstrated that such lights could assist drivers in maintaining consistent speeds.
- Safety and future plans: Despite initial scepticism and concerns about driver distraction, the lights have been designed to ensure safety. Transurban has plans to continue monitoring and fine-tuning the system, with potential trials for different colour schemes in the future.
More info
https://www.transurban.com/burnleytunnelproject
https://roads.org.au/new-lights-now-help-drivers-keep-pace-in-burnley-tunnel/
https://www.itsinternational.com/its8/news/transurban-lights-tunnel-help-drivers-pace-themselves
https://sandbox.smec-cloud.net/insights/virtual-reality-sheds-new-light-on-driver-behaviour/
