Roads and Traffic Authority

Updated on Sep 19, 2024

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Formed January 1989 (1989-01) Annual budget A$3.2 billion (2010)		Jurisdiction New South Wales

Preceding agencies Department of Main RoadsDepartment of Motor TransportTraffic Authority Dissolved 1 November 2011 (2011-11-01) Superseding agency Roads and Maritime Services andTransport for New South Wales

The Roads & Traffic Authority (RTA) is a former New South Wales (Australia) government agency that was responsible for major road infrastructure, licensing of drivers, and registration of motor vehicles. The RTA directly managed State roads and provided funding to local councils for regional and local roads. In addition, with assistance from the Federal Government, the RTA also previously managed the NSW national highway system. The agency was abolished in 2011 and replaced by NSW Roads and Maritime Services.

History

The Department of Main Roads (DMR) was created in November 1932. The DMR undertook works across NSW; including maintenance of all major roads into Sydney and programs of road reconstruction, construction, upgrading and rerouting. The DMR was also responsible for many ferries and New South Wales bridges.

In January 1989 of the Department of Main Roads, Department of Motor Transport, and the Traffic Authority were amalgamated into the Roads and Traffic Authority under the Transport Administration Act, No. 109, 1989 (NSW).

On 1 November 2011, the Roads and Traffic Authority in turn was merged with NSW Maritime to become Roads and Maritime Services. Planning and co-ordination functions were transferred to Transport for NSW.

Regions of the RTA

The Roads and Traffic Authority is divided up into six regions:

Sydney region encompasses the area of the Sydney metropolitan and the Blue Mountains areas

The Hunter Region encompasses the Hunter Region, Central Coast and the southern portion of the Mid North Coast

Northern Region extends from about Taree to the Queensland border, and goes as far inland as Tamworth, called "New England"

Southern Region encompasses the land south east of the ACT and the Illawarra area near Wollongong

South West Region encompasses essentially the land west of the Australian Capital Territory to the South Australia border, extending from the Murray River up to around West Wyalong called the Riverina

Western Region encompasses the remaining section in the west & north west of the state

Functions

Roads and Traffic Authority managed 4,787 bridges and 17,623 km (10,950 mi) of state roads and highways, including 3,105 km (1,929 mi) of national highways, and employs 6,900 staff in more than 180 offices throughout NSW, including 129 Motor Registries Offices.

Vehicle registration

The Roads and Traffic Authority is responsible for the registration of vehicles (including the issuing of registration plates) and the issuing of Drivers licences in New South Wales, including testing and administering of licences. Additionally, the RTA produces photo cards for identification of non-drivers and issues photographic firearms licences for the New South Wales Police Firearms Registry, security licences also for the New South Wales Police, Commercial Agents & Private Inquiry Agents cards and Mobility Parking Permits.

Key building projects

Key road building projects that the Roads and Traffic Authority is undertaking either directly, through contractors or via public/private partnerships, include:

On-going completion of a four-lane dual carriageway of the Princes Highway from the Jervis Bay turnoff to link up with the Sydney Orbital Network near Mascot and on-going completion of the upgrading of the Pacific Highway to continuous dual carriageway (minimum four-lane) standard between the Sydney Newcastle Freeway and the Queensland border, by 2020.

Major incident response

Within NSW, the Transport Management Centre is responsible for managing special events and unplanned incidents and disseminating information to motorists. It is the central point for identifying and directing the response to incidents such as crashes, breakdowns and spills. It passes on information to the public through the media, the RTA call centre and variable message signs along routes.

In 1999 the NSW Transport Management Centre (TMC) established Traffic Commander and Traffic Emergency Patrol (TEP) services throughout the Greater Urban Area of Sydney to provide 24-hour 365-day-a-year coverage to "Manage the traffic arrangements around an incident scene and return the road to normal operating conditions with the utmost urgency."

Traffic Commanders take command of traffic management arrangements at an incident (such as a motor vehicle collision) and liaise with other response agencies such as the Police, and assist in clearing the road and minimising the effects and disruption to traffic. Traffic Emergency Patrols vans patrol major road routes and respond to unplanned incidents with the aim of returning the road to normal operating conditions as soon as possible. Both Traffic Commanders and TEP units carry a wide array of traffic management devices such as traffic cones, barrier boards and road signage. Both also are permitted to use and display red and blue emergency lighting and are designated as 'emergency vehicles'.

Recently completed projects

Dual carriageway completion on the whole Hume Highway and the Great Western Highway (between Sydney and Katoomba only).

Lawrence Hargrave Drive

North Kiama Bypass

Sydney Orbital Network (including Westlink M7, Cross City Tunnel, Lane Cove Tunnel, Western Distributor, General Holmes Drive, M4 Western Motorway, Southern Cross Drive, Sydney Harbour Bridge, Sydney Harbour Tunnel, Cahill Expressway, M5 Motorway, M5 East, M2 Hills Motorway, Gore Hill Freeway, Warringah Freeway and Eastern Distributor).

Ferry services

As part of its duty to provide major road infrastructure, the RTA is responsible for the provision of several car ferries. These ferries are all toll-free, and include:

Berowra Waters Ferry, across Berowra Waters

Lawrence Ferry, across the Clarence River

Mortlake Ferry, across the Parramatta River in Sydney

Sackville Ferry, across the Hawkesbury River near the village of Sackville

Speewa Ferry, across the Murray River between New South Wales and Victoria

Ulmarra Ferry, across the Clarence River

Webbs Creek Ferry, across the Hawkesbury River in the village of Wisemans Ferry

Wisemans Ferry, across the Hawkesbury River in the village of Wisemans Ferry

Wymah Ferry, across the Murray River between New South Wales and Victoria