Effective road management involves both robust traffic management and traffic control plans in order to ensure the safety of commuters and minimise congestion.
In the event of a disruption, whether through a construction project, an accident or a community event, traffic management and traffic control will help keep everything running smoothly.
While both are important, it’s worth being aware of the difference between traffic control and traffic management, and the role they play in road management.
Traffic management vs traffic control: what is the difference?
While often used interchangeably, the difference between traffic control and traffic management is quite distinct.
Traffic control is about directing traffic at a specific location, such as a construction site, with traffic controllers working to keep everyone safe and keep vehicles moving smoothly.
Making use of various tools such as road signs, signals and barriers, traffic controllers aim to minimise congestion during disruption and keep commuters and pedestrians safe.
Traffic management, on the other hand, takes a much broader approach to managing traffic.
Traffic management involves several different stages, including strategic planning and analysis and traffic impact assessments. A traffic management plan will consider all potential hazards in a disruption zone in order to keep everyone in that zone safe.
Essentially, the key difference between traffic management vs traffic control is that the aim of traffic management is to create a plan that covers the design, implementation and maintenance of a temporary road management system, whereas traffic control focuses on immediate on-site measures to control traffic flow and keep pedestrians safe.
A good traffic management plan will ensure that commuters and pedestrians are aware that they are entering a disruption zone so that they are well-prepared, while effective traffic control will help keep people safe when inside the zone, by having traffic controllers on-site to direct traffic and keep pedestrians and workers out of harm’s way.
ISAV Design Ltd offers robust, efficient traffic management and traffic control training services in Auckland. With professional and passionate road management experts, we guarantee high-quality services and reliability to clients. To find out more, visit our website today.