THE Institute of Public Works Engineering Australia (IPWEA) NSW & ACT, in collaboration with Transport for NSW, is conducting an innovative trial using artificial intelligence (AI) to assist maintenance teams in planning, managing, and repairing roads.
According to the MidCoast Council Roads Strategy, the Council’s road network spans over 3,600km, approximately the same distance as Taree to Perth.
This makes it the second-longest public road network for any Council in NSW.
Robert Scott, Director Infrastructure and Engineering Services with MidCoast Council said, “We have a substantial number of roads to maintain.
“When the opportunity arose to participate in the second (Beta) phase of the trial, we immediately expressed our interest.”
The initiative utilises dash-mounted cameras on waste collection vehicles to collect digital imagery of road defects, including potholes, cracks, street litter, faded line markings, and damaged signs and guideposts.
The imagery is analysed by AI to evaluate the severity and risk of the defect.
“This is a positive application of AI.
“The waste trucks are constantly travelling our roads, so we can collect a lot of information.
“Using AI, we can analyse and sort it in a way that makes it easier to manage the road issues that need fixing.”
Mr Scott explained that the technology can also compare data over time, providing valuable insights.
“It’d be impossible to do that manually,” he said.
William Douglas, a Roads and Transport Engineer for IPWEA, mentioned that the pilot study has already provided information about the specific benefits of AI, such as savings in road inspections and increased efficiencies.
Transport for NSW believes that utilising AI could revolutionise road maintenance and operations by improving efficiency, offering more detailed information, and enabling councils to take a proactive approach to maintenance.
Mr Scott echoed this, saying, “It is a game changer.”
These before-and-after images served as evidence to prove how the road infrastructure was impacted by the flood in 2025.
The pilot stage of the trial is complete with the program now expanding to include more NSW councils.
By Wendy BUSWELL
You can help your local paper.
Make a small once-off, or (if you can) a regular donation.
We are an independent family owned business and our newspapers are free to collect and our news stories are free online.
Help support us into the future.
