Saferoads' Rapid Stop Barrier has been deployed on the Gold Coast to provide portable protection for pedestrians and workers whilst a section of The Esplanade at Surfers Paradise is transformed into an events and entertainment precinct.
The temporary upgrades led by the City of Gold Coast will see cars, buses and trucks diverted from a 250m stretch along the beachfront. The car free zone aims to improve accessibility and revitalise the area, creating a pedestrian safe space that is vibrant and welcoming, right in the heart of Surfers Paradise.
With pedestrian safety front of mind, the City of Gold Coast required a vehicle mitigation system that was portable but also offered superior protection, ensuring the safety of pedestrians, without restricting the flow of large crowds.
The flexible nature of Saferoads’ Rapid Stop Barrier made it the perfect solution for this project. The portable system is efficient to transport and deploy and does not require anchoring. The unique design of the Rapid Stop Barrier allowed the huge crowds at Surfers Paradise to easily move through the system, including access for bikes, prams and wheelchairs. The addition of the Emergency Access Gate allowed organisers to open and close roads as needed, simplifying emergency services ingress and egress.
Event management could rest assured that pedestrians were protected from the threat of a dangerous driver because the Rapid Stop Barrier is fully crash tested to confirm it can stop a 2270kg pickup travelling at 60km/h.
