Developed in response to growing concerns around traffic controller safety, the innovative Automated Cone Truck has successfully completed a 12-month trial on Victoria’s multi-billion-dollar Eastern Freeway Upgrades.
Built in Australia by Brisbane based Arrowes Roading Safety, the Automated Cone Truck (ACT) is capable of retrieving cones from both sides of the vehicle while moving forward or in reverse.
The ACT can also close over nine kilometres of highway without stopping – more than doubling the capacity of traditional cone trucks.
Engineered with minimal moving parts and built with robust components, the ACT incorporates several automated features to improve safety and efficiency – including mechatronic deployment and retrieval systems, automated roller doors, automated air safety booms, and a cab-controlled generator.
Currently there are an alarming number of fatalities and serious injuries faced by traffic controllers on Australian roads.
Around 100 traffic controllers are injured each year, requiring medical treatment or time off work, and at least one traffic controller is killed annually, according to data from the National Road Safety Partnership Program (NRSPP).
In a collaboration between Arrowes Roading Safety, Melbourne’s Eastern Freeway Upgrades – Burke to Tram Alliance, Major Road Projects Victoria (MRPV), and KPI Construction Services, the ACT was able to be tested in a real-life situation.
The muti-billion-dollar Eastern Freeway Upgrades, delivered by Major Road Projects Victoria (MRPV), is part of the largest investment in Melbourne’s north eastern suburbs, connecting the Eastern Freeway to the North East Link tunnels.
Executive director of Arrowes, Lea Ea, said the ACT’s design allows for the safe and efficient deployment of cones, which can deploy one cone every seven seconds and be placed at intervals of 12 to 24 metres while travelling at speeds of up to 16 km/h.
“Road construction and maintenance workers are among the most likely to be involved in a workplace incident in Australia,” Ea said.
According to research by Safe Work Australia, 63 per cent of fatalities on worksites were caused by being hit by moving vehicles.
“Every life lost is one life too many. The consequences are devastating, with estimates that each fatality results in a social cost of $7.8 million, not to mention the emotional toll on their loved ones,” added Ea.
“We were committed to finding a commercially viable solution to reduce the risk of fatality and injury among traffic workers, while also reducing manual handling and traffic set-up times.”
Five years of rigorous testing and research and development went into the ACT – and Ea said she’s proud to see the truck delivering strong results on Australian roads.
Stuart Dangerfield, safety manager on the Eastern Freeway Upgrades – Burke to Tram, first trialled the ACT in 2021 on the M80 Upgrade between Sydney Road and Edgars Road.
“The safety of our people and the community is at the forefront of everything we do, so we were excited to be the first to trial the ACT three years ago,” Dangerfield said.
“Since this initial trial, we’ve seen the innovation refined and improved, which has resulted in safer and efficient use of this technology on the Eastern Freeway Upgrade from Burke Road to Tram Road.
“We know manually deploying and collecting cones can expose our crews to some of the highest risk zones on a road worksite. Using the ACT on our Eastern Freeway Upgrades has further reduced the need for workers to interact with live traffic conditions.”
Adam Mullens, traffic superintendent on the Eastern Freeway Upgrades – Burke to Tram Alliance, has worked in the construction and traffic management industry for over 20 years.
According to Mullens, the general public, overall, are unaware of the dangers faced by traffic controllers every day. He said the use of the ACT means he can sleep easier at night knowing his workers are safe.
“It is a dangerous job where professionals are putting themselves in the line of fire. Innovations like the ACT are vital for the industry moving forward, but also to ensure we protect our workers from being seriously injured, or worse, killed,” Mullens said.
The ACT also avoids the need for repetitive movement, cutting out a large amount of manual handling.
“A bollard can weigh anywhere between 5 to 8kg and if you are placing up to 100 a night it can cause repetitive injuries,” added Mullens.
Managing director of KPI Construction, Aaron Ramsay, said the use of the ACT had not only safeguarded the lives of his workers by minimising exposure to high-risk environments but has also enhanced work productivity by over 150 hours, thanks to the quicker setup and pack-up times.
“The integration of the ACT has been a pivotal asset over the past year, deploying and collecting traffic cones on 188 occasions across 564 kilometres of lane closures,”
Ramsay said.
“ACT placed and collected 65,000 cones, eliminating the need for over 1200 tonnes of manual handling and reducing worker exposure to live traffic by approximately 500 hours.
“We’ve been using the ACT every night for a year now, and we’ve had no incidents during this period. It is a lifesaving innovation which ensures our team return home to their families safe every day.”
The Automated Cone Truck also won the Victorian Major Transport Infrastructure Authority’s award for innovation and the Director General Award for Safety innovations in 2022, and the National Safety Award (NSCA) in 2023. The ACT is also a finalist in Moreton Bay City Council Business & Innovations Awards for 2024.