Day-time closures of Bulli Pass to roll out technology for safer night-time driving

Bulli Pass will be closed to traffic for two days this week for maintenance work and to roll out a NSW trial of innovative glow-in-the-dark line markings to reduce night-time accidents.

The pass will be closed in both directions between 9 am and 3 pm on Tuesday and Wednesday, 3 and 4 December, as well as during night work between 7:30 pm and 4:30 am on Monday and Tuesday, 9 and 10 December, weather permitting.

The photoluminescent painted markings will be trialled at the hairpin turn on Bulli Pass before being assessed for a wider rollout in NSW.

The markings absorb and store sunlight during the day and glow at night, helping drivers better see line markings and the shape of the road ahead.

The location was chosen after a spike in near-miss incidents between 9 pm and 4 am, with 125 cases recorded in the year to 30 June.

This is despite the road being closed for almost half of that time to repair four landslip sites, described by Transport for NSW as about the size of two Olympic swimming pools.

NSW Roads Minister John Graham said “glow roads” were designed to improve night-time visibility, help markings stand out in adverse weather and provide a safe alternative at sites where street lighting was impractical.

“Bulli Pass has had a rising number of near-misses – particularly at night – so using glow roads to improve driving conditions will help the thousands of motorists who rely on this busy route,” Mr Graham said.

“Line markings might not be the first thing we think about in terms of innovation, but this is a bright idea and we are excited to trial its benefits.

“Being able to see the shape of the road ahead is critical to safe driving and that’s what glow roads do.

“Data shows around a third of fatal crashes in NSW happen at night. If this trial is deemed a success, we will look at its application on other locations with a history of crashes or near-misses where better visibility is needed.”

The trial on Bulli Pass will run for six months, after which data and customer insights will be reviewed to determine whether to extend the trial or implement the technology on other parts of the state’s road network.

Extensive testing of glow roads was undertaken at Transport’s Future Mobility Testing and Research Centre in Cudal to ensure the line markings were suitable for Australian conditions.

Different modes of transport were put through their paces, with a car, truck, motorbike and bicycle tackling the controlled “glow” course.

Skid testing was also undertaken to check glow roads had the same level of slip resistance as current line markings.

As well as installation of the glow markings, work during the closure of Bulli Pass this week and next will include maintenance of guardrails, signs and safety ramps; trimming vegetation; clearing gutters and drains; removing the concrete barriers from the northbound lanes on Bulli Pass; and resurfacing the road.

During the work, detours will be in place via either Lawrence Hargrave Drive or the M1 Princes Motorway and Memorial Drive.

Motorists are advised to allow an additional 20 minutes’ travel time, drive to the conditions and follow the directions of signs and traffic control.

Residents within the closure area will have access to their properties at all times.

Visit Live Traffic for more information, or download the Live Traffic NSW app.