Road safety experts say reducing the speed limit by 30km/h along the Tuggeranong Parkway could help to improve traffic flow along the notorious stretch of road.
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The ACT government wants to have variable speed limits along parts of the parkway operational by the end of the year.
Construction on the project, which will have variable speed limit signs placed along the Tuggeranong Parkway between Cotter Road and Forest Drive near the Glenloch Interchange, is expected to begin by April, according to the ACT government.
While the speed limit along the road is 100km/h, the variable speed limit signs could reduce the speed limit, depending on traffic conditions or the weather.
Speeds would most likely be dropped to 70km/h or 80km/h to reduce the likelihood of traffic incidents during peak-hour periods.
If emergency services or other workers were on the road, speeds would be reduced to 60km/h and then 40km/h.
Cameras would be installed to help determine what speed limit should be enforced at a particular time.
Director of the Centre for Automotive Safety Research associate professor Jeremy Woolley said while speed limits along the road would be slower, it would lead to faster commute times.
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"There is the irony that lower speed limits improve traffic flow and you have a faster commute time if you don't have accident, which smooths the traffic flow," he said.
"They're a tool to help regulate the flow of traffic and lower the speeds and lane changes go much better."
The Tuggeranong Parkway was chosen for Canberra's first variable speed limit system due to the significant number of crashes on the road each year.
Eight variable speed limit signs will be installed for the project, four northbound and four southbound.
A Transport Canberra spokesman said construction should be completed by the end of the year, but it would still be some time before the variable speed limits were in place for drivers.
"Following the construction, there will be a period of commissioning and testing of the variable speed limit system," the spokesman said.
"We anticipate the system to be operational before the end of the year."
Project documents estimate at least 35,000 cars use the road each day.
The Transport Canberra spokesman said while there might be other locations in Canberra where the technology could be rolled out to, no other sections were currently being considered.
"A variable speed limit system is being proposed to improve safety [along the Tuggeranong Parkway] to improve traffic safety at this location by reducing the likelihood of secondary crashes," the spokesman said.
"As a result of fewer, or less severe crashes, improved travel time reliability along the Tuggeranong Parkway citybound route can also be expected as a secondary outcome over time."
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Andrew Brown
I've been part of the Canberra Times since 2016, after reporting at local papers in Sydney's north-west. Since starting at the paper I've had stints on the Sunday Times, on the early morning breaking news round, and now as a general reporter, covering the ins and outs of anything and everything happening in Canberra, with a focus on health.
I've been part of the Canberra Times since 2016, after reporting at local papers in Sydney's north-west. Since starting at the paper I've had stints on the Sunday Times, on the early morning breaking news round, and now as a general reporter, covering the ins and outs of anything and everything happening in Canberra, with a focus on health.
