Australian first safety technology

Deployed on Stage 1 of the Mickleham Road Upgrade

Heavy vehicles operated by crews on Stage 1 of the Mickleham Road Upgrade are now travelling safer as the first in Australia to benefit from new safety technology, MAX-SAFE.

The pioneering technology has been trialled in a selection of heavy vehicles being used on the road upgrade, with the attention-grabbing audible and flashing light alert system set to help reduce the likelihood of unexpected collisions on the project.

The new MAX-SAFE system incorporates automatic detection capabilities within heavy vehicles, ensuring operators inside the cabin are promptly notified when vulnerable road users, such as pedestrians, cyclists or scooter riders, are in proximity, especially during left-hand turning manoeuvres.

Mickleham Road is used by over 25,000 vehicles each day and is one of the major road corridors in Melbourne, providing a critical connection between local suburbs and the Tullamarine Freeway.

BMD Constructions is delivering the $222 million Mickleham Road Upgrade – Stage 1, from Somerton Road to Dellamore Boulevard in Greenvale for client Major Road Projects Victoria (MRPV).

The MAX-SAFE initiative materialised following an early site walk-through between BMD and MRPV that highlighted the risks of vulnerable road users around the project site, with a high level of student pedestrian traffic from surrounding schools.

The advanced Side View™ technology used by the safety system is driven by artificial intelligence and smart cameras and has been specifically designed to identify vulnerable road users around the job site, making it capable of distinguishing them from other objects or obstructions to increase safety measures for the project’s lifespan.

Speaking to the new technology, BMD Constructions General Manager Southern Region, Antony Damiani said it is a milestone moment for using technology to elevate the safety of not only this project, but future BMD projects across Australia.

“At BMD, we believe all incidents are preventable and we’re committed to finding new and improved ways to keep our people and the public safe in and around our project sites. “

“The adoption of this Australian-first technology is a testament to the collaborative relationship we have established with MRPV, with the use of the industry-leading system pioneering the importance of technology to support the project’s safety outcomes,” Mr Damiani said.

The MAX-SAFE technology is not the first milestone initiative adopted on the project, with BMD also launching the Zero Waste System (ZWS) Patriot, an Australian-first filtration system designed to recycle waste for re-use on other parts of the project. The ZWS Patriot filters and re-uses waste from non-destructive digging to ensure there is zero waste or landfill during construction. The process involves the ZWS Patriot filtering the waste and separating dirt from water, allowing the water to be re-used on site, and the recycled dirt to be used as topsoil for landscaping at the end of the project.

“The Mickleham Road Upgrade – Stage 1 represents the fourth project BMD Constructions has won under MRPV’s Program Delivery Approach model and our continued performance is a result of our capability and demonstrated performance in delivering value-for-money solutions,” Mr Damiani said.

“This collaborative contracting model and early contractor involvement has laid the foundation for delivering innovative solutions such as the use of MAX-SAFE and the ZWS Patriot and sets a new standard for sustainable community outcomes delivered on infrastructure projects.

“We look forward to think differently with the support and collaborative partnership with MRPV offering further opportunities for industry and Australian first initiatives.”

Major construction on Stage 1 of the Mickleham Road Upgrade commenced in March of this year and is expected to be complete by mid-2025.

National Road Safety Week – Side View Vulnerable Road User technology – YouTube