Traffic Management Design impacts on Contracts, Tenders and Permits#
The transition to the new Traffic Management Design qualification takes effect on 1 July 2016. The information below outlines the impacts of this change on contracts, tenders and permits.
Existing contracts (including Road Asset Maintenance Contracts)#
There will be no retrospective impact on existing contracts as a result of the changes that will be introduced on 1 July 2016.
The Department of Transport and Main Roads will amend the Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) Part 3 to recognise the new Traffic Management Design training requirement (in lieu of Level 3 and Level 4 competent officer). This amendment will include:
- a notation indicating that the superseded Level 3 and Level 4 competent officer provisions will remain in force until existing contracts are complete
- advice that the superseded Level 3 and Level 4 competent officer provisions will remain in force for local governments until 31 December 2016.
New tenders#
All tenders called by the department after 1 July 2016 will include a new Provision for Traffic specification (MRTS02), which encompasses the revised Traffic Management Design requirements.
Contractors should ensure that any traffic management companies they propose to engage meet the MRTS02 requirements. If the relevant traffic management company cannot meet these requirements upon project award, tenderers are required to advise this, and provide details of when their subcontractors will comply.
Provided the tender response demonstrates that the traffic management company has made all reasonable efforts to comply, and compliance is foreseeable, the department will not automatically consider the tender to be non-compliant. The contractor must ensure the traffic management company complies with timeframes submitted in their tender.
Permits#
Existing permits#
There will be no retrospective impact on existing permits as a result of the changes that were introduced on 1 July 2016.
New permits#
All new Traffic Management Plans and Traffic Guidance Schemes submitted with permits after 1 July 2016 shall be signed by a Traffic Management Design qualified person.
Surveillance#
Contract surveillance#
All contract surveillance officers can raise imminent safety risks with the relevant contractor. However, from 1 July 2016 they will need to hold a Traffic Management Design qualification to issue non-conformance notices. If they do not hold a Traffic Management Design qualification they will need to escalate any concerns identified to an officer who holds the Traffic Management Design qualification, or issue the non-conformance notice under the Traffic Management Design qualified officer's signature.
Generic Traffic Management Plans (TMP) and Traffic Guidance Schemes (TGS)#
Existing generic TMPs and TGSs developed by Level 3 qualified officers#
The Department of Transport and Main Roads does not have an expectation that TMP and TGS developed prior to 1 July 2016 be re-developed, however all new designs must be developed and endorsed by a Traffic Management Design qualified person.
Revised designs will also need to be developed and endorsed by a Traffic Management Design qualified person. The department recommends that older designs be subject to internal design review and continuous improvement processes over time.
More information#
For more information please contact Coryn Hedges on 07 30668646 or coryn.j.hedges@tmr.qld.gov.au.
