The Human Impact Route Assessment (HIRA) tool and process aims to place safety of Vulnerable Road Users (VRUs) at the forefront of the heavy vehicle route selection process.
In this context, VRUs are defined as pedestrians and cyclists, with greater consideration given to the most vulnerable of these users including older people and children.
HIRA is intended to support and promote collaborative decision making between local and state government authorities regarding the identification and selection of truck routes during construction of major projects. The tool requires that representatives work together to discuss and agree on ratings for various route attributes in relation to the impact on vulnerable road users. The tool and process will provide an opportunity to compare potential routes and identify and record risks to VRUs along each route. This information is intended to contribute to the route selection decision making process, along with other considerations such as directness and noise impacts.