Dangerous narrow roads and crumbling edges can now be made safer quickly and cost-effectively following the commercial launch of innovative road widening and repair machine, the ShoulderMaster.
Minister for Regional Development, Skills and Small Business Hon John Barilaro MP officially unveiled the first ShoulderMaster off the production line at a gala event at the Australian Technology Park in Sydney on 11 September. Members of parliament, council representatives, machinery dealers and road safety representatives were in attendance.
“This is a fantastic initiative that will ensure our roads are safer for families, businesses and residents to use,” said Minister Barilaro in a statement.
“We want to encourage more innovation excellence in NSW that will continue delivering the business confidence and a strong economy.”
As well as making roads safer, the universal skid steer paving attachment helps governments, councils and private businesses to save money, cut repair time, minimise disruption to traffic and reduce fuel consumption.
The ShoulderMaster attachment won the Innovation Award at Civenex earlier this year, has been named a Finalist in the Product Innovation Award category of the Earthmover and Civil Contractor Awards and is nominated for the Australian Road Safety Awards and the Australian Innovation Challenge Awards.
Speaking at the official launch, business manager and engineer Mark Pilgrim said the skid steer paver attachment was set to revolutionise road safety while helping to solve road maintenance funding shortfalls faced by councils and governments across the country.
“The ShoulderMaster is without doubt the most effective, efficient, environmentally responsible and financially beneficial road maintenance attachment for the Australian road network,” Mr. Pilgrim said.
“Road widening works with the ShoulderMaster are twice as cost effective and three times as fast as traditional methods, meaning councils and others can repair more roads with the same budget while minimising traffic disruption and improving safety.”
ShoulderMaster Managing Director Peta Pinson said this technology will save lives on our roads.
“A report to the Federal Government in May 2015 identified that half of crashes on regional roads are single vehicle run off road crashes, which have been attributed to dangerous or unsealed road shoulders,” Mrs. Pinson said.
“The report indicated that by adding just one extra metre of gravel or asphalt to the shoulder of the road, decreases the potential for runoffs by 30%. The ShoulderMaster makes this possible.”
The ShoulderMaster has completed works for Lend Lease and Ferrovail Agroman on the Pacific Highway upgrade, RMS Hunter on the New England Highway, Port Stephens Council and Kempsey Shire Council.
The award-winning machinery was developed by Wauchope-based road maintenance contracting company Stabilcorp and is being manufactured by Total Manufacturing Services in Newcastle. It is now available for sale nationwide.
The business has launched a new website which features videos of the innovative equipment at work making Australian roads safer – www.shouldermaster.com.au