Optimisation of infrastructure within the Melbourne urban plan

Congestion is a growing concern of many global cities and the demands on Infrastructure services within a locale coupled by the rising expectations from the growing population places stress on these cities. This entails the ability to build a sustainable community that requires an understanding and recognition of Population growth, changing demographics and the ever changing urban development on both a macro and micro level. Infrastructure is an integral part of Australian economy, particularly the 'Infrastructure Assets Management' which highlights the importance towards the development of sustainable communities for Melbourne's future. Melbourne 2030 is a comprehensive representation of government's response to a wide-ranging population growth within Melbourne metropolitan and surrounding areas. Urban plan and specific Infrastructure Assets Planning needs not only to provide sufficient Infrastructure to a community, but it must also be efficient and innovative so that it produces an optimised management system. A system that incorporates engineering techniques that will be sustainable for decades to come by maintaining an acceptable level of services to its intended community in an effective manner, which also strengthens service delivery. The fundamental challenges for optimization of Infrastructure with the Melbourne urban plan is, the ability to manage and sustain maintenance of Infrastructure to provide the acceptable level of service required by the community in a most effective manner which also strengthens service delivery to contribute towards Melbourne 2030. This paper particularly investigates some of the fundamental issues within the Melbourne urban plan such as Infrastructure Asset Management, AusLink and the Australian Road Management Act 2004, which the Governments at all levels must deal with to provide an economically viable solution to the changing Infrastructure so it may suits the needs and services the strategies of a metropolis.