![]() Mr Bob Allen commented that in one incident, “we had a fire in the tunnel motorists ignored the warning lights and signs and continued driving towards the fire. By far the biggest cost of these is to the community.” Mr Bob Allen commented, “we average around 30 collisions a year inside Sydney Harbour Tunnel. While the Sydney Harbour Tunnel hasn’t endured a ‘major disaster’, precautions such as the Softstop barrier system are considered by the tunnel’s operator to be a key response mitigation strategy. Monitor loopbacks of key data areas to monitorĪdditionally, a myriad of other fail-safe and pre-emptive strategies make ‘Softstop’ a highly effective, rapid-response barrier system. The Research and Development phase included the following elements This testing was then followed by a week-long trial onsite. ![]() Air, water pressures and a myriad of other issues were addressed in both day and nighttime scenarios. Leading projection technologies were trialled in the project’s research phase. The Softstop™ Barrier System was developed from Laservision’s government endorsed Research & Development laboratories. Freight routes and even entire economies suffer as a result. The Softstop™ Barrier System produces a pseudo-holographic image that appears to float in mid-air, commanding the attention of the motorist making the ‘STOP’ message impossible to miss. Unlike conventional warning lights, signals or signs that appear in the peripheral vision of drivers, the ‘Softstop Barrier System’ is the only visual messaging system that appears in the direct view of drivers.īesides the human toll, these disasters cause severe damage to infrastructure. The Laservision system creates the illusion of a solid surface that instantly blocks both southbound lanes of traffic. ![]() When a fire breaks out in a tunnel, vehicle occupants are not spectators to an accident, they are potential participants in a disaster. A year later 12 people perished in the Tauern tunnel (Austria) and the Gotthard Tunnel (Europe) which claimed 11 lives. The following key objectives became apparent for sourcing the ‘Softstop’ solution ġ) Safety (prevention of vehicles entering a dangerous environment), andĮxtreme examples of tunnel disasters include Mont Blanc (France) which claimed 39 lives and burnt for 52 hours. “ we realised that traditional signage wasn’t enough after the reality check of a fire incident and the impact of several high trucks.” Bob Allen stated “as a tunnel operator I need to be able to stop vehicles entering into the tunnel”…. General Manager of Tunnel Holding Pty Ltd (Sydney Harbour Tunnel), Mr. Delays and closures prove very costly for the Sydney community as the tunnel is a key access route for the city’s business district and eastern suburbs. Since opening, the tunnel has endured over 10,500 traffic incidents ranging from accidents, breakdowns, fire and the odd beachgoer running out of fuel. The tunnel was designed to be strong enough to withstand the impact of earthquakes and sinking ships and averages over 30 million vehicles per year. Passing under Sydney Harbour between the Harbour Bridge and the Opera House, the Sydney Harbour Tunnel was originally built to alleviate congestion on the Harbour Bridge. ![]() In conjunction with Tunnel Holdings Pty Ltd (owner and operator of Sydney Harbour Tunnel), Laservision successfully developed and installed a radical new tunnel warning system that solves the persistent problem of drivers ignoring other conventional signals to stop before entering motorway tunnels. This soft barrier also allows for emergency vehicle access and the safe exit of existing pedestrians and vehicles from the tunnel. Should the driver be unable to stop in a timely manner, they are able to pass through the wall of water. Unlike conventional warning lights, signals or signs that appear in the peripheral vision of drivers, the Softstop™ Barrier System is the only visual messaging system that appears in the direct view of the driver’s vision.
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