2002 National Local Roads Congress

National Local Roads Congress 2002

State association round up - Western Austalia

Councillor Ian Mickel
President
Western Australian
Local Government Association

Presentation Outline

LGIP Project Update (Regional Transport Infrastructure Coordination Project)
Assets and Expenditure Report
Rural Road Hierarchy
ROMAN

Regional Transport Infrastructure Coordination Project (RTICP)

A pilot program designed to expand the scope and engagement of local government's role in regional transport infrastructure planning and coordination.

RTICP Background

Set scene current WA Road Funding Process
WA Local Government Regional Road Group Model
May 1995 Agreement Signed
Criteria Developed
Process Matured

RTICP History

WALGA Vision
Developing a Broader Role for RRG's
Application June 2001 Approved
LGIP Application
12 month pilot project
WALGA Great Southern Region most appropriate
Delays - Change of Government
Restructuring Government Departments Transport/Main Roads now DPI

RTICP Objectives

The projects objectives are:

Improve regional cooperation between Councils and regional industries in transport infrastructure planning and implementation;
Demonstrate Local Government is effective in leaving transport infrastructure planning and implementation in its local area;
Identify transport infrastructure that targets regional economic development; &
Identify opportunities for new transport infrastructure funding sources.

RTICP Start Up

Local Government Perspective
Pilot Project
Operates along side RRG activities
Can we develop Criteria to prioritise projects?
Can we agree on a regional Local Government Network Plan?

RTICP Challenge

It would be an advantage for Local Government to be able to identify the main transport Infrastructure project within its region.
Regionally, can Local Governments agree on what the main project is?

RTICP What's Happened So Far

GSRRG Letter 20th June 2001 Full Support
Encouraged by Commonwealth Start Project
Steering Committee formed (RRG Chair)
Strategic Planning document collection
Regions Statistics collected
Reporting progress to ALGA
RRG engaged in project

Current Perspective/Foundation

Locally can you nominate 4 transport projects which are important to your Council?
Are any of these considered to be regionally significant?
From a Regional perspective, what does Council consider to be the most important Transport Infrastructure project for the Great Southern?
What Strategic Plans does Council have addressing Transport needs?

Results

As anticipated roads faired extremely high
Major Highways - scored by 6 Councils
Regional City (Port) by-pass - 5 Councils
Only 1 project outside Region Southern Link Road
Only other transport mode mentioned Rail - 4 Councils
Most projects whilst generally in 1 or 2 Councils were considered to be regionally significant

Coordinator Appointment

Considered Staff/Secondment/Consultant
Consultants Appointed
Regional Port Chief Executive/Councillor
Meet with each GSRRG Council ASAP
Developing Criteria for comment
Criteria to consider triple-bottom line
Auslink/Opportunities
Reiterate that this project compliments RRG
Ensure liaison with Government agencies

RTICP Key Points

Local Government Perspective
Continued Regional not Local thinking
Criteria to prioritise regional transport projects

Assets and Expenditure Report

142 out of 142 Councils voluntarily contribute data upon which annual Assets and Expenditure Report is based.
Report benchmarks Local Government on dollar per person expended, together with outcomes in achieving minimum road network standards required throughout comparable areas and regions.
Local Government roads in WA have a replacement value of $10.9 billion as at 30 June 2001.
The written down value of Local Government roads is $7.1 billion, equivalent to 65% of replacement value. This percentage should be about 75% for a well managed road network.
35% of the replacement value of Local Government roads has been consumed (lost through depreciation)-an improvement on 39% identified in 1997-98.
Councils provide 49% of their total expenditure from their own resources.
Total Local Government expenditure was $354.9 million in 2000-02.
Local Government's road expenditure from their own resources has increased each year since 1994/95-marking the first agreement on road funding with the State Government.
This represents a 24% increase from $142.7 million in 1996/97 to $177.1 million in 2000-01.

Sources of Road Funds

Council expenditure $354.9 million

Private - $5.6 m - 1.6%
Council - $177.1m - 49.9%
State - $92.4m - 26.0%
Federal - $79.8m - 22.5%

Rural Functional Road Hierarchy (FRH)

Project intends to assist RRG's with planning and prioritisation of road needs
Criteria agreed:
- Primary Distributor
- Regional Distributor
- Local Distributor
- Access Roads
Each Local Government applying to their roads
Each Local Government develop draft FRH
RRG Reviews intra and inter boundaries

ROMAN Pavement Management Program

Still 132 out of 142 Councils using ROMAN
Regional User Groups
Integration with GPS
Project to review deterioration model
Enables State comparison/consistency