A massive project to apply safety gradings to Western Australian roads has attracted the attention of the International Road Assessment Program (iRAP).
Using LiDAR and 360-degree imagery tied to Anditi’s iRAP accredited RoadViewer technology and 3D Web Portal, Main Roads Western Australia scanned around 19,000km of its State roads, collecting a massive amount of data.
The data will inform the State Government’s planning when it comes to achieving the Australian National Road Safety Strategy targets for 80 per cent of travel on Australian roads to be on 3-star or better roads by 2030.
iRAP recognised the quality of the partners’ work with a Global 5-star Performer Award for 2025, presented in Perth last week during the Australasian Road Safety Conference.
With analysis of over 69.3 million data attributes, the project has proven the potential of AiRAP approaches to deliver Star Rating assessments.
The results are now informing evidence-based investment in infrastructure upgrades to save lives and reduce road crash injuries across the state, with follow-up Star Rating assessments to be conducted annually on 20 per cent of the network to inform roadworks planning and track performance improvements.
iRAP Chief of Future Impact Rob McInerney says the project fits well within iRAP’s vision for a world free of high-risk roads.
“AiRAP is an exciting global collaboration that will significantly expand the scale and frequency of Star Rating assessments around the world, ultimately enabling road authorities and their partners to save lives.
“Main Roads Western Australia and Anditi are at the forefront of this effort, leading the world’s largest AiRAP assessment as part of the Austroads-led AusRAP program.
“Every groundbreaking project requires a team of experts who can chart new paths, push boundaries, and have the tenacity and dedication to deliver results.
“Main Roads WA have been incredible in taking on this challenge. Anditi is also a global leader in AiRAP, driving its success through their in-depth exploration of source data, cutting-edge technology, streamlined processes, and rigorous quality control.
“This world-class initiative is a game-changer, setting a new standard for the future – a future that will fulfil iRAP’s dream to Star Rate every road on earth and help deliver the life-saving social, community, financial and economic benefits of 3-star or better roads worldwide.”
Managing Director Main Roads WA John Erceg says the AiRAP project was a win for the State.
“The AiRAP project is significantly enhancing our road safety and road management practices, and supporting Western Australia’s Road Safety Strategy which aims to reduce the number of people killed or seriously injured by 50 to 70 per cent by 2030,” Erceg says.
Anditi Director Peter Jamieson says the project proved the power of the AI technology.
“We are proud to be forging the future for AiRAP innovation globally and to have been able to demonstrate that AiRAP coding and Star Ratings can be undertaken successfully at scale using Accelerated and Intelligent analytic techniques,” Jamieson says.
“Working on this innovative project with Main Roads WA has been an honour and we look forward to the knowledge gained being used to support other iRAP partners to scale their life saving assessments and action globally.”
Dr Geoff Allan, Chief Executive of Austroads Chief Executive Dr Geoff Allan says the Western Australian project had the potential to be rolled out around Australia.
“MRWA and Anditi’s work helps make roads in Western Australia safer and provides us with a potential model for others to use,” Allan says.
“They have made a major contribution to the AusRAP program. MRWA and Anditi have strengthened the quality and reach of nationally consistent, evidence-based data that supports improved road safety outcomes across Australia and globally.
“We congratulate both organisations on this exceptional accomplishment and look forward to their continued leadership in advancing road safety.”