Word this week from the Australian Road Research Board (ARRB) says the country’s transport infrastructure could be employed as a much more valuable resource than is currently realised.

ARRB Freight and Heavy Vehicles Engineer Adam Ritzinger says there are many great new ways to bring roads up to an advanced state, saving money on needless expenditure and gaining the most from future economic possibilities.

Mr Ritzinger says roads as a resource need to be brought into the 21st century, with adaptable, automated and climate change resilient transport networks possible through technological means.

“Technology can and will deliver the benefits,” Ritzinger says.

The engineer is referring to the Forever Open Road concept; an idea that seeks to improve that state of driving surfaces around the world. It was developed by the Forum of European National Highway Research Laboratories (FEHRL); an international association compromising over 30 research and technical institutes across Europe.

Forever Open Road proposes methods to ensure roads are as efficient as possible, adaptable to demand, and constantly free-flowing despite delays, congestion, accidents or maintenance.

In an address at Freight Week this month, Mr Ritzinger highlighted the usefulness of the plan in Australia, saying “we can learn from others but we can also develop and pioneer our own solutions.”

The concepts behind the Forever Open Road project are detailed online.