About
MyCommute highlights the benefits in considering the Eastern Distributor and the Lane Cove Tunnel for your daily commute.
The key to providing a successful toll road is to provide predictable time savings. However there are other factors to consider when choosing your route. Our intention in creating this site was to present some additional information about the Eastern Distributor and the Lane Cove Tunnel to help you make informed decisions about the routes you choose for your daily commute.
Travel time survey
Austraffic is a national company with over 25 years experience in all aspects of traffic, public transport, parking and pedestrian surveying and were commissioned to undertake the surveys. Austraffic is the largest transport survey firm in Australia, and has undertaken numerous travel time surveys from the small to the very large.
Our survey methodology
Each driver was required to complete an initial training run, whereby they drive the route prior to the survey date to gain familiarity and ensure they know the roads to travel. For each comparison the drivers were instructed to leave at exactly the same time undertaking the 'floating car' methodology, which requires drivers to travel with the general traffic conditions.
The exact same vehicles were used for all of the survey routes. This allowed for accurate comparison of fuel consumption using onboard vehicle computers.
Three survey runs were conducted for each comparison with the average result of the three runs reported for the purposes of this report.
Survey dates
Surveys were conducted during April 2010 for the Eastern Distributor and during July 2010 for the Lane Cove Tunnel (and Military Road E-Ramp). No surveys were undertaken on days which were effected by public or school holidays.
Reporting
Drivers used custom built GPS units to record a second by second track file for each journey. After completion of the survey, the track file was reviewed graphically to ensure that the route had been surveyed correctly.
Greenhouse gas emissions
Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions were calculated for each travel time survey using the measured unleaded fuel consumption and Australian Greenhouse Office emission factors.
The AGO Factors and Methods Workbook was published in December 2006 by the Department of Environment and Heritage Australian Greenhouse Office, and provides a single source of current greenhouse gas emissions factors for use by Australian organisations.
Section 1.2 of the AGO workbook contains the following formula to calculate greenhouse gas emission based on fuel consumption:
GHG emissions(t CO 2-e) = Q(kL) x EF
| Where | Q | = the quantity of fuel (in thousand litres) consumed |
| EF | = emission factor for fuel combusted |
|
| = 2.4 (Automotive gasoline) |
Below is an example GHG emission calculation for Survey 1 - Airport to Chatswood
1. Sydney Domestic Airport
Route 1a – Sydney Domestic Airport to Chatswood (Warringah Fwy)
Route 1b – Sydney Domestic Airport to Chatswood (Eastern Distributor)
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| Route 1a GHG | = 3.8 x 10-3 x 2.4 x 1000 = 9.06kg |
| Route 1b GHG | = 2.5 x 10-3 x 2.4 x 1000 = 5.91kg |
