Helping plan the future of Melbourne’s railway network

The Victorian Government has committed $57 billion to upgrade Melbourne’s transport network in coming years. TRAVIS will help decision makers prioritise this funding and ensure taxpayers and transport users receive the best value for money.

Melbourne’s population has boomed in recent decades, growing by over 1 million people in just 10 years between 2008 to 2018. More people has naturally led to increased demand and pressure on the city’s transport infrastructure. In order to address increasing congestion and prepare for future growth, Victoria is investing $57 billion to upgrade Melbourne’s network, with hundreds of projects already underway. 

To make better, more informed and holistic decisions when allocating these vast funds, Public Transport Victoria (now the Department of Transport, DoT) needs to understand the various interdependencies, risks and priorities of different projects, across their full lifecycle. They also need to communicate effectively and efficiently with their stakeholders, many of whom don’t have a technical background. 

Step forward “TRAVIS” (Transport Architecture Visualisation), a data visualisation tool, developed in collaboration with PTV, integrating PTV systems with Microsoft’s Power BI (Business Intelligence) technology. Once formally in use by DoT following a second phase trial, TRAVIS will enable decision makers and non-technical stakeholders alike to engage with visuals that directly represent their situation and project. One prime example is an interactive map of Victoria’s railway network, that displays dependencies and risks at a glance and in proper geographical context.

Further direct benefits include enhanced understanding and oversight of improvements to key network characteristics, including reliability, availability, capacity, journey time, safety, security and sustainable best practice (in the design, operation and maintenance of the network). 

By providing decision makers with the insights they need in a dynamic, interactive and intuitive way, without losing sight of the networks’ overall performance; TRAVIS will help drive enhanced, safer outcomes for the economy, community and environment. 

Awards

• 2020 Australian Engineering Excellence Awards - Finalist (R&D)