Swept Path Analysis is an essential part of traffic and transport planning that helps ensure vehicles can move safely and efficiently through proposed layouts. By using tracking curves, planners and engineers can visualise real vehicle movements and identify design issues before construction begins. This analysis plays a key role in improving safety, functionality, and approval outcomes across a wide range of projects.
Swept Path Analysis is a technical assessment used to examine how a vehicle manoeuvres through turns, access points, intersections, and confined spaces. It considers the full movement envelope of a vehicle, including wheel paths, overhangs, and tail swing.
The analysis is commonly used for heavy vehicles, service vehicles, buses, and emergency vehicles to confirm that a design can safely accommodate their movements without conflicts or damage to surrounding infrastructure.
Tracking curves are the visual outputs of a Swept Path Analysis. They illustrate the exact space a vehicle occupies while moving through a site or road layout. These curves allow planners to test multiple design scenarios and confirm that vehicle movements remain safe and practical.
One of the most essential ways Swept Path Analysis improves project planning is by enhancing safety. Tracking curves identify potential conflicts between vehicles, pedestrians, cyclists, and fixed objects.
By addressing these issues early, designers can:
This proactive approach significantly reduces the risk of accidents once a site becomes operational.
Many developments and construction sites must accommodate large vehicles such as delivery trucks, waste collection vehicles, and emergency services. Swept Path Analysis confirms that these vehicles can safely enter, turn, and exit a site.
Tracking curves help determine:
This ensures the site functions as intended without operational constraints.
Design changes late in a project can be costly and time-consuming. Swept Path Analysis helps identify access and manoeuvring issues during the early planning stages, reducing the likelihood of redesigns.
By validating vehicle movements early, project teams can:
Swept Path Analysis is often required by local councils and road-controlling authorities as part of development or construction approvals. Tracking curves provide clear technical evidence that a proposed design meets access and safety expectations.
Including this analysis in submissions improves clarity for reviewers and helps streamline the approval process.
Swept path assessments are commonly included as part of Traffic Impact Assessments (TIAs) to demonstrate that proposed developments can safely accommodate expected vehicle movements. These assessments help confirm that site access, internal circulation, and servicing arrangements function effectively under real operating conditions.
In many cases, Swept Path Analysis forms a supporting component of the resource consent process, providing councils with technical evidence that vehicle movements will not adversely affect road safety, traffic efficiency, or surrounding land uses.
Well-planned vehicle movements contribute to the long-term success of a project. Swept Path Analysis ensures that accessways, intersections, and internal layouts remain functional as traffic demands change over time.
By planning for realistic vehicle movements, projects benefit from:
In New Zealand, Swept Path Analysis is widely used to support traffic engineering assessments, development applications, and construction planning. Councils and road authorities rely on tracking curves to confirm that vehicle movements align with accepted traffic design and safety principles.
This analysis is particularly important for developments on constrained sites or projects involving frequent heavy vehicle movements.
Swept Path Analysis should be completed:
Early assessment helps ensure smoother approvals and more efficient project delivery.
Swept Path Analysis is a powerful planning tool that improves safety, efficiency, and approval outcomes. By using tracking curves to understand real vehicle movements, project teams can make informed design decisions and avoid costly issues later.
For developments, construction sites, and traffic management planning, Swept Path Analysis remains an essential part of successful project planning.
If your project requires accurate Swept Path Analysis or tracking curve assessments, ISAV Design provides expert traffic engineering solutions tailored to New Zealand requirements.
Contact us today to discuss your project and ensure your planning is approval-ready.
