BUILDING AN ENVIRONMENTALLY AND SOCIALLY SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORT INFRASTRUCTURE SYSTEM

BUILDING AN

ENVIRONMENTALLY

AND SOCIALLY SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORT INFRASTRUCTURE SYSTEM

A SHARED RESPONSIBILITY

An environmentally and socially sustainable transport infrastructure system is essential, not only for tackling climate change. It serves to support community wellbeing without sacrificing economic development. In South Australia, the performance of urban roads and public transport appears to be a real challenge. How can we deliver transport infrastructure in a more environmentally friendly way without compromising on either the principles of sufficiency (involving avoiding and reducing the demand for energy and resources for consumers) or efficiency (involving the boosting of productivity to satisfy human wants by providing more commodities for the economy)? Actually, every one of us can play our part in realising a lean, green and clean system.

THE COMMUNITY

ф Cycle, walk or use scooters – people moving around using their own power! This inexpensive form of mobility can help to tackle pollution by reducing emissions, and improve health. ф Replace petrol-run vehicles with electric ones to help reduce the emission of carbon monoxide. ф Use public transport more – fuel is conserved, air pollution will decrease, so will the carbon footprint. ф Instead of sitting in a traffic jam in a

Single Occupant Vehicle (SOV), and breathing in air from exhaust fumes, car-pool to help reduce the number of vehicles on the road, to reduce pollution and fuel consumption. ф Live closer to work to reduce travel time, enjoy more free time, and take holidays closer to home.

THE CIVIL CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY

ф Road construction introduces a lot of foreign material to the natural environment and can disrupt existing soil conditions. Keep project length to a minimum and cut back on the number of stop work orders that can keep a site closed or work to drag on and affect the environment. ф Limit the usage of fuel (especially fossil fuels) and gas when carrying out projects, to reduce gas emissions of carbon dioxide and

methane, and other waste products that add to pollution. ф Reduce fuel usage by reducing vehicle idling time, minimising haul distances, using alternative green fuel resources, using hybrid equipment and vehicles etc.

Reduce transport distances by the preplanning of routes to minimise mileage, plan jobs and load vehicles properly to avoid unnecessary trips to work sites. ф Use local materials and suppliers to help reduce the excessive carbon footprint created by importation. ф With the industry facing increasing challenges from the environmental, social and economic fronts, it has become necessary to search for better construction materials. ф Explore using road base materials that can help to sequester carbon, and build roads that can capture solar or kinetic energy to generate electricity. ф Reuse and recycle existing materials like hardware or appliances and fixtures. Even brick and concrete can be reused as fill or driveway bedding. ф In South Australia, trials with reusing waste plastic and glass in road construction have proven successful.

Even metal and wood can find second lives! This approach could be adapted to address supply issues beyond our control eg oil supply issues when another country is engulfed in warfare. ф Explore technological advances to help calculate greenhouse emissions and energy consumption so any carbon footprint created can then be offset by the planting of an appropriate number of trees. ф Properly dispose of waste and not add to landfill unnecessarily.

THE PLANNERS AND DECISION MAKERS

Implementing a more reliable and user-friendly transit system to meet the community’s needs can improve air quality, promote health, and yield a better quality of life.

Some options are listed below. ф Make the transport system function better and more sustainable for users. ф Consider using permeable materials in construction to prevent metals and toxins from seeping into watersheds, using recycled materials to reduce landfill, and installing permeable pavers to manage rain and storm water runoff to be reused. Keep the roads well maintained and clean to extend their life cycles; the same applies to the drainage systems. ф Adopt smarter AI applications and new technologies in traffic management systems. These include the installation and upgrading of traffic lights, online cameras, red light cameras, and telematic systems at appropriate places to facilitate and regulate traffic flows and to address mobility, safety and environmental issues. ф Transform old infrastructure eg an old railway line into a walkway and park to encourage the appreciation and uptake of outdoor recreation.

Within our state are railway stations and tracks (from Aldinga to Verdun) that have been closed and abandoned that can be repurposed as public spaces or even tourist attractions with historic appeal. ф Construct more bicycle trails and pedestrian trails (green infrastructure) to establish cleaner, healthier, quieter neighbourhoods.

Plant trees along these trails to provide shade and bolster the green lung effect. ф Convenience is one reason why people are driving to work instead of catching the bus (having to walk to bus stops, wait around and end up standing in a crowded bus).

Better planning in consultation with commuters can potentially attract more bus riders. With petrol prices going through the roof, there is every reason to use public transport.

Dedicated bus lanes will obviously accelerate travel.

Overall, there is benefit in reconfiguring spaces and zoning so travel time can be reduced with the availability of facilities and utilities. Good infrastructure planning will also reduce travel distance. As an inclusive society, we (the community, industry and decision makers) can all contribute to shaping our transport infrastructure to sustain us into the future.

Together, let's explore options to manage carbon and adopt methods to improve the resilience of our infrastructure, to save money and resources, yet remain environmentally friendly.

COMPANIES THAT ARE LEADING THE WAY

Fulton Hogan

Fulton Hogan’s PlastiPhalt material was recycled into asphalt to build greener roads. The company recycled plastic bags into material to resurface Castle Road in Glandville.

Fulton Hogan is repurposing old road cones as safety matting to help keep children safe in playgrounds in New Zealand – hopefully the same will be happening here soon. It is also building a glass processing hub in Lara (VIC) this year.

Holcim

The leading global building materials supplier is launching ECOPact, a ‘low carbon’ concrete product range which can reduce the embodied carbon of building, infrastructure and homes.

Downer

In 2019, Downer constructed Australia’s first road made completely from recycled materials for Adelaide on Chatham Street – from reclaimed asphalt pavement from nearby city streets and locally sourced recycled vegetable oil.

Trafigura and Nyrstar

December 2021, Trafigura and Nyrstar announced the state supported Port Pirie Green Hydrogen Project, to benefit local businesses and support the decarbonisation of transport and industry. Construction will start in 2023. In addition, the state government has unveiled its plan to build a hydrogen hub at Whyalla, including a 250MW electrolyser and a 200MW hydrogenfuelled power station, to accelerate the growth of the hydrogen industry.