Transurban’s Burnley Tunnel Pacekmaker Lighting project was implemented to improve traffic flow on one of the busiest roads in Australia. The Burnley Tunnel runs below the Yarra River and has a steep decline and incline for vehicles travelling through, meaning motorists tend to slow down on the incline, contributing to congestion and traffic backlogs in the tunnel. The project implemented a dynamic pacemaker lighting system, which provides visual cue to drivers through green bands of moving light at their peripheral vision in the tunnel, helping them pace their travel while focusing on the road (and adhering to speed limits and road rules).
The Judging Panel recognised the ingenuity of the project, which has resulted in a more than 15 per cent increase in speeds between 4pm to 7pm and average trip time through the tunnel as 50 seconds quicker. Transurban has also seen a reduction in incidents in the tunnel since the system was introduced. The Panel commended the potential this project has in other above-ground applications too, with Transurban looking to include the system in the design of future road and tunnel projects around the world.