Every project and event that impacts road users or pedestrians starts with a plan. A traffic management plan, to be exact.
But this is not just a box-ticking exercise.
The question is how to make a traffic management plan that works in the real world. One that’s practical, keeps people safe, and meets all regulatory requirements.
Why Every Stakeholder Needs to Know How to Make a Traffic Management Plan
A good traffic management plan does many things:
- Details how vehicles and pedestrians will move safely through or around a worksite
- Defines controls, responsibilities, staging, and equipment
- Becomes a working document that can adapt to live conditions and changes
It’s also a legal requirement for works on or near Western Australia roads. So, although a traffic management expert will draw up the documents, it’s everyone’s responsibility to know what traffic management is.
5-Step Process: How to Make a Traffic Management Plan That Works
Step 1: Site Analysis and Data Collection
The very first step is clarifying who ‘owns’ the affected roads. In general, Main Roads WA (MRWA) controls major roads and local governments manage local roads – although there are overlaps and exceptions.
Approval pathways, design requirements, and lead times differ depending on who’s reviewing the plans.
From there, we start analysing the site, detailing characteristics like:
- Traffic volume and daily rhythm
- Speed limits
- Local area traffic
- Intersections
- Nearby infrastructure (e.g. schools, parks, shopping centres)
- Pedestrian activity
All these factors affect the next stage, which is risk management.
Stakeholders who rely on the road network also need to be identified early. That typically includes residents, businesses, bus operators, and emergency services, but could include everyone from cyclists to truck drivers, depending on the site.
If access is not maintained or closures are not properly communicated, it creates issues during delivery.
Good planning at this stage avoids delays during approvals and reduces rework later.
Step 2: Risk and Hazard Assessment
A traffic management plan is part risk control document and part operational plan. Without a clear risk assessment, the plan will not hold up.
Common risks in Perth include:
- Driver error
- Peak hour congestion
- Limited sight distance
- Night work visibility
- Wildlife on regional roads
- Weather conditions
According to MRWA, over 70% of serious road accidents are caused by driver error rather than intentionally risky behaviour. It’s our job to minimise the risks of those errors.
We also need to think about our own crews when assessing risks for a traffic management plan in Perth. Safe Work Australia data shows that vehicle collisions were the leading cause of fatality on work sites in 2025.
These risks increase in complex traffic management planning environments with higher speeds, multiple lanes, signal changes, or traffic redistribution. Where simple vehicle-worker separation controls might be enough in low-speed, low-traffic environments, complex TMPs require more sophisticated controls.
Crucially, risk mitigation measures need to be practical. If the team cannot set up the control on site, it will not be followed.
Step 3: Designing the Traffic Guidance Scheme
Once we fully understand the risks, we can develop the Traffic Guidance Scheme.
This diagram shows exactly how the site will be set up. It includes signs, cones, bollards, arrow boards, and any temporary traffic control devices.
All Traffic Guidance Schemes must align with the Austroads Guide to Temporary Traffic Management and AS1742.3.
However, this is where many local area traffic management plans fail. A diagram can meet standards but still be difficult to deliver if the layouts are unclear or don’t match site conditions.
And for complex TMPs, such as multi-lane closures or contraflow arrangements, multiple diagrams are needed. Each stage – and the transitions between them – must be shown clearly.
This is why using a dedicated service like Traffic Management Planning & TMP Design is important. The design needs to reflect how the job will actually be built.
Step 4: Ensuring Legislative Compliance in WA
Traffic management plans in Perth and around the state must meet MRWA requirements.
For starters, plans must be prepared and submitted by someone holding current Advanced Worksite Traffic Management (AWTM) accreditation. Without this, the plan is not valid.
Approvals vary depending on the road and scope. Local government works may require permits and notifications. Main Roads WA projects often require a formal submission and review.
Traffic management for government-funded projects adds another layer of complexity. Stakeholder and community engagement is often required, ranging from notifications to variable message boards or a staged communication campaign.
The different requirements and approval processes all affect lead times. This needs to be understood and factored into project timelines, which requires the expertise of a team that knows what’s involved.
Step 5: Implementation and Review
Now comes the real test. By now, you know how to make a traffic management plan – but will it work in the real world?
Implementation is where the rubber meets the road, so to speak.
Conditions change. Access points shift. Traffic behaviour can differ from what was expected.
Traffic management crews need to understand the intent of the plan. They also need the authority to raise issues if something does not work. Communication between planners and field crews is critical so the team on the ground aren’t making decisions that contravene the approved plan or put people at risk.
Partnering with an end-to-end traffic management service provider like Turtle Traffic ensures alignment between design and delivery. The team that designs the plan is the same one overseeing implementation, and the same one you’ll be communicating with throughout the project.
Nothing gets overlooked or lost in translation. We communicate clearly and often, keeping you in the loop as we review and update plans according to live conditions.
The Benefits of Partnering With Turtle Traffic: We Know How to Make a Traffic Plan
Understanding how to make a traffic management plan is about minimising risk as much as maintaining progress and timelines.
An experienced traffic management team like Turtle Traffic has the know-how to make an effective plan and implement it on the ground. That one-stop-shop approach has several benefits:
- Reducing approval delays or rejections due to non-compliance
- Safer layouts and less vehicle-worker interaction
- Clear staging and practical designs
- Smooth traffic flow throughout the project
- Better communication with communities and stakeholders
- More efficient planning and delivery
A well-prepared traffic management plan sets the job up properly from the start. The right team carries that momentum throughout the project.
At Turtle Traffic, we know how to make a traffic management plan that works in practice. Contact our team to discuss your next Traffic Management Plan and ensure your project stays on track and compliant.