The new ventilation on demand (VoD) system on the EastLink toll road was named Australia’s best intelligent transport system (ITS) in 2018.
EastLink in Melbourne, which is managed by Broadspectrum, was Australia’s first toll road and one of the first in the world to introduce a dynamic on-demand system that cuts energy consumption by 68% and halves the noise that is audible to local residents.
The project involved replacing ten fixed-speed tunnel fans with variable-speed units and introducing a more efficient impeller. Another key issue was proving to the Australian Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) that the project could not only attain but could actually exceed air quality standards: the new system avoids emitting 9,000 tons of CO2 per year. Additionally, 30% of tunnel air is now exhausted via the tunnel portals with traffic flows, rather than being vented entirely via the tunnel stacks.
EastLink Alliance is a joint venture between ConnectEast and Broadspectrum that is entrusted with achieving continuous improvements in the operation and maintenance of the EastLink toll road and tunnels (a total of 40 km). The ITS awards acknowledge professional expertise and raise awareness of how ITS technologies can be beneficial to cities, communities and the environment and can enhance people’s everyday lives.
