Pedestrian fences should be separated from traffic lanes (as per the Austroads Guide to Road Design Part 6, Section 4.2.2), however in certain situations they may need to be placed closer to the road. In these cases, the safety of all road users needs to be carefully considered in the design.
Some important design considerations:
- The fence should be the subject of a thorough examination of the fence’s predicted failure and behaviour upon impact, along with potential risks to vehicles and nearby users (or it should have been tested to AS/NZS 3845.2)
- The design should prevent horizontal rails from detaching and creating a hazardous “spearing” point. Opt for “no-weld” modular systems that avoid this risk.
- Maintain at least 0.3 meters (ideally, more) between the fence and the traffic lane. This minimises nuisance hits and reduces hazards from damaged fencing.
- The design needs to minimise the risk of pedestrians getting trapped between the fence and moving traffic. This could involve features like escape gaps or controlled access points.
- Account for existing parking demands and potential drop-off zones when positioning the fence to avoid unnecessary conflicts.
Check out VicRoads/DTP Road Design Note 06-14 for more information.
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