A trial of new flood evacuation signs that includes driving simulator testing is being conducted as part of the Hawkesbury-Nepean Valley Flood Risk Management Strategy.
The strategy includes a mix of measures to improve the community’s flood preparedness and help people evacuate in a flood emergency, including new flood evacuation road signage, improved flood forecasting, communication to raise community awareness, and better flood information.
Western Sydney Minister Stuart Ayres and Mulgoa MP Tanya Davies said the $1.8 million signage project that is part of the strategy would help direct people along key evacuation routes during a flood emergency.
“I’m pleased to announce that work on the new signage is well underway – a draft signage system has been prepared by signage experts, and it is going through a comprehensive user testing process,” Ms Davies said in a statement.
The user testing includes driving simulator testing, a phone questionnaire and technical testing in the field.
Last week driving simulator testing was completed with 100 floodplain residents using the TRACSLab facilities at the University of Sydney.
The phone questionnaire also started with a representative sample of 400 floodplain residents, which will provide further insights into how people are likely to prepare, respond and drive during a flood emergency.
“This is the first time there has been a strategic regional approach to flood evacuation road signage in NSW, so it is important that we get this right,” Mr Ayres said.
“The area from Bents Basin near Wallacia to the Brooklyn Bridge is the most flood exposed area in NSW. While we haven’t seen a major flood here for some time, it will flood again – and we need to be ready for when it happens.
The rollout of the new evacuation road signage across the Hawkesbury-Nepean Valley is scheduled to start later this year.
For more information about the Hawkesbury-Nepean Valley Flood Risk Management Strategy go to: www.insw.com/flood-strategy
