Transport planning is about preparing for the future needs of moving people and goods to destinations. It is a collaborative process involving input from a range of stakeholders including State Government agencies, local government authorities, land owners, developers and other interested parties. Good effective transport planning is integrated with land use planning to facilitate access for residents to jobs, shops and community and recreational activities, whilst providing expected levels of amenity.
Roads and streets are a key element of the transport system and serve a range of functions including property access, provision for walking, cycling, vehicular travel and space for utilities and trees. The transport network needs to cater for all users safely and with varying degrees of emphasis for users. Local streets are designed so that there are low vehicular numbers at slow speeds enabling them to be shared with cyclists and pedestrians. Higher order arterials are designed to carry higher volumes of people and goods (often moving through an area without a local destination), but also need to provide for walking and cycling.
There may be slightly different emphasis on various aspects depending upon local preferences as well as whether the project is within a regional setting, a greenfields site or is part of an urban renewal project. However, in all circumstances, street design will have a significant impact on perceptions of the development, being the most visible component.