Capability Statement

In a bid to transform safety standards, our team on the Epping Road Upgrade project in Melbourne has taken a pioneering approach, harnessing cutting-edge traffic control solutions to safeguard both workers and commuters alike.

Traditionally, traffic controllers have had to physically stand on the road to manage traffic flow, putting them at risk from passing vehicles. To enhance safety, the project team has introduced advanced traffic control devices that can be operated remotely.

These devices include:

• Portable Traffic Control Devices: These include eBooms, and Gibney barriers which provide physical separation between moving traffic and the traffic Controller, further safeguarding workers. The eBooms are operated remotely.

• Portable Traffic Signal System: The eSTOP system utilises remote-controlled traffic signals. By triggering red lights from a safe distance, eSTOP enables traffic controllers to manage traffic flow without being directly exposed to live traffic.

This innovative approach removes traffic controllers from the immediate vicinity of moving vehicles, significantly reducing their risk of injury. They can now effectively control traffic flow from a protected location, ensuring their safety while continuing to perform their crucial role on the project.

By embracing technological advancements like eBooms and eSTOP, the Epping Road Upgrade project is setting a positive precedent for future infrastructure projects, demonstrating that efficient construction can go hand-in-hand with a strong commitment to safety.

An 'e-boom' in action. These create physical separation between moving traffic and the traffic Controller, further safeguarding our workers.

Although the use of recycled glass in the construction industry has become a more familiar sight in recent years in Australia, it wasn't until 2021 that we introduced it into South Australia's infrastructure construction sector.

Back then, our team on the R2P Project worked with supplier, ResourceCo, and our customer, the Department for Infrastructure and Transport (DIT), to trial a PM2/20 road-base product containing 5% recycled glass on an arterial road project. The trial was a resounding success.

Leap ahead to mid 2022 and our team on the Ovingham Level Crossing Removal project in Adelaide upped the ante, this time using 10% recycled crushed glass within 660 tonnes of road-base. Again, this was the first time this level of recycled glass was used on a DIT project.

The result was the diversion of 66 tonnes of municipal glass waste from land fill, the equivalent of 132,000 empty wine bottles.

At the heart of these initiatives is our "Creative Construction" ethos, our focus on the circular economy, and the collaboration and trust we foster between our design, construction and customer teams.

On the Ovingham Level Crossing Removal Project in Adelaide our team expanded the use of Warm Mix Ashphalt (WMA) and combined it with Recycled Asphalt Pavement (RAP) to drive down emissions. 

Asphalt is a major material used on road projects and replacing Hot Mix Asphalt (HMA) (typically 175°C); with WMA (typically 140°C) is a generally accepted practice. However current asphalt specifications only allow for placement when the surface temperature is above 20°C, thereby limiting its use.

To overcome this restriction our team developed an alternative placement method allowing the WMA to be laid below 20°C. The first layer is the standard HMA and the following layers are WMA.

Not stopping there, our team combined the use of WMA with a 10% Recycled Asphalt Pavement (RAP) content in the wearing and levelling courses, and a 30% RAP content in other layers. 

This approach has led to an estimated 10% to 15% reduction in the overall emissions associated with asphalt use on the project. 

Based on this positive experience Warm Mix Asphalt has now been used on other McConnell Dowell projects.

On a recent level crossing removal project in Victoria our site team developed a ready-mix concrete with a reduced carbon footprint. The mix has now been approved by the local road authority, VicRoads, for structural bridge elements such as decks, piers and abutments.

Based on experience from other states, our team, in cooperation with a concrete supplier, developed a mix design where cement was replaced with supplementary cementitious materials (SCM). The concrete was produced, placed and tested under site conditions and in accordance with the relevant VicRoads specifications.

The results demonstrated that SCM concrete with a reduced carbon footprint does not compromise concrete performance during production, transport or placement. Further, the properties and durability of the hardened concrete meet the requirements of the design.

Following further trials and tests VicRoads not only granted approval for the project at hand, but included the mix in their list of approved concrete mixes for other road projects in Victoria.

The approval of the SCM mix was not only a significant contributor towards the project achieving its desired Infrastructure Sustainability Council rating and project KRAs, but it also makes a significant contribution towards achieving a more sustainable construction industry in Victoria.