Swept Path Analysis for NSW Development Applications
The vehicle turning diagrams councils demand to prove trucks, waste vehicles and cars can actually enter, manoeuvre and exit your site. Modelled in AutoTURN to AS 2890.1, AS 2890.2 and Austroads templates — from $600.
What is a swept path analysis?
A swept path analysis is a scaled diagram that shows the full road area a vehicle covers as it turns — the swept path envelope traced by its widest and innermost points during a manoeuvre. MK prepares them in AutoTURN to AS 2890.1, AS 2890.2 and Austroads design-vehicle templates, from $600, usually within 1–3 business days. NSW councils require one to prove cars, trucks and waste vehicles can enter, turn and exit a site safely without striking kerbs, columns or structures.
Last updated 17/06/2026 · Modelled to Austroads AP-G34 Ed 4.0 (2023), AS 2890.1 and AS 2890.2:2018.
When a vehicle turns, the rear of the vehicle cuts in and covers a wider path toward the inside of the turn than the front wheels follow. That difference — the gap between where the front tracks and where the rear and body sweep — is what catches out driveways, basement ramps and loading docks that look fine on a flat architectural drawing. A swept path analysis tests the design against the real movement of a specific vehicle before a single slab is poured.
"Submit a swept path analysis" — what your DA condition actually means
Swept path requirements turn up two ways: as a direct DA consent condition, or buried inside a waste management or parking condition. A typical NSW council condition reads along these lines:
"Swept path diagrams prepared in accordance with AS 2890.2 shall be submitted demonstrating that the nominated design vehicle and Council's waste collection vehicle can enter and exit the site in a forward direction."
What it actually means
Council wants proof — not assurance — that the biggest vehicle using your site can physically get in, turn around and drive out front-first, with clearance to spare. "Forward direction" means no reversing onto or off the public road, which councils treat as a safety non-negotiable in residential zones.
What to send us
Your architectural site plan (PDF or CAD), the DA condition wording, and the vehicle types expected on site — or just tell us the development type and we'll nominate the correct design vehicle. We model it, mark the clearances, and return council-ready diagrams.
The design vehicles we model
Cars are defined in AS 2890.1; commercial and heavy vehicles in AS 2890.2:2018, which classifies seven representative vehicles by limiting dimension and minimum turning circle. We pick the right "design vehicle" for your site and, where councils require it, a larger "checking vehicle" too. Common templates:
| Design vehicle | Typical length | Where it applies | Standard |
|---|---|---|---|
| B85 car | ~4.9 m | 85th-percentile car — the basis for standard parking bay and aisle dimensions. | AS 2890.1 |
| B99 car | 5.4 m (2.1 m wide) | 99th-percentile car — large SUVs and utes. Used for critical clearances, ramps and tight bays. Min turning radius 6.35 m. | AS 2890.1 |
| SRV — Small Rigid Vehicle | ~6.4 m | Light delivery trucks and small service vehicles. Common check for small multi-dwelling sites. | AS 2890.2 |
| MRV — Medium Rigid Vehicle | ~8.8 m | Common service truck and some council waste vehicles where significant goods movement is expected. | AS 2890.2 |
| HRV — Heavy Rigid Vehicle | ~12.5 m (waste trucks commonly 10.5 m) | The default "worst-case" waste collection vehicle for most metropolitan councils. Needs roughly a 12.5 m turning radius. | AS 2890.2 |
| AV — Articulated Vehicle (semi-trailer) | 19 m | Warehouses, distribution centres and large industrial sites. The standard articulated design vehicle. | AS 2890.2 |
| B-Double & PBS combinations | ~26 m + | Heavy industrial and freight sites. Modelled to Austroads templates where the development warrants it. | Austroads AP-G34 |
Dimensions are the standard design-vehicle figures from AS 2890.1, AS 2890.2:2018 and Austroads AP-G34 Ed 4.0. The right vehicle for your site depends on your council's DCP and waste contractor's fleet — we confirm it before modelling. A swept path that fits is proof of concept for the layout; it doesn't on its own guarantee compliance with every other clause of the standard.
Why architectural plans fail the swept path check
A layout can look perfect on a flat plan and still fail in practice. These are the recurring reasons councils issue a Request for Further Information — each one a swept path analysis catches before lodgement.
Rear overhang cut-in
On a turn, the rear of a truck swings inside the path of the front wheels and can strike a column or kerb even when the wheels stay on the pavement. Longer wheelbase, wider arc — the single most common failure.
Forced reverse manoeuvre
Councils rarely approve a garbage truck reversing onto a public road. If the site can't achieve forward-in / forward-out, or the reverse exceeds ~15 m, expect a refusal. We design and prove the turn-around.
Missing clearance buffer
AS 2890.2 manoeuvring needs ~0.3 m clearance on the straight and ~0.6 m on the outside of corners; waste guidance often wants 300–500 mm each side. A path that just touches the kerb isn't compliant.
Ramp grade & grounding
A truck moving from a steep ramp to a flat dock can ground its chassis on the transition. We check the vertical profile, not just the plan view, so the undercarriage clears.
Wrong design vehicle
Designing for an SRV when the council's waste fleet runs a 10.5 m HRV is an automatic RFI. We model the vehicle your council actually sends, not the one that conveniently fits.
Overhead & width pinch points
Basements need headroom clearance along the whole travel path, and two-way aisles must let a B85 pass a B99. We flag pinch points the architectural plan doesn't surface.
What's included in an MK swept path analysis
Every assessment is built in industry-standard software and returned as clean, council-ready diagrams — not a screenshot of a free online template councils routinely reject.
- Correct design vehicle selectionWe nominate the right design and checking vehicles for your site, council DCP and waste fleet.
- AutoTURN-modelled turning pathsEntry, exit, internal circulation and any reverse manoeuvre, modelled vehicle-by-vehicle.
- Swept path envelope plottedThe full road area covered by the vehicle body and overhang through each turn, not just the wheel track.
- Clearance margins markedAS 2890.2 manoeuvring clearances shown against kerbs, columns, walls and adjacent vehicles.
- Forward-in / forward-out demonstratedProof the design vehicle enters and leaves front-first where councils require it.
- Overlay on your site planDiagrams drawn directly over your architectural or civil plan so council can read them against the design.
- Waste vehicle checkCouncil's nominated garbage truck modelled where on-site or kerbside collection is conditioned.
- Multiple movements where neededSeparate diagrams for cars, service vehicles and heavy vehicles sharing one access.
- Standards-referenced outputEach sheet referenced to AS 2890.1, AS 2890.2 and Austroads AP-G34 templates.
- Council-ready PDF & CADIssued in the format your certifier or planner needs to lodge on the NSW Planning Portal.
- One free revision roundIf council comes back with a comment on the diagrams, we revise minor changes at no cost.
- Bundles into your CTMPDrops straight into a full Construction Traffic Management Plan if your DA needs one too.
Swept path analysis cost in NSW
MK prepares swept path diagrams from $600. Most standard residential and small commercial sites land between $600 and $800 — a fraction of the redesign cost a council rejection triggers. Where it sits by job:
Bundle it into a full CTMP and the swept path is built in. Send us a written competitor quote and we'll beat it by 10%. Prices are estimates — confirmed once we see your site plan.
How we prepare your swept path analysis
Most standard assessments are turned around in 1–3 business days from receiving your site plan.
Send Your Plan
Email your architectural or civil site plan (PDF or CAD), the DA condition wording, and the vehicle types expected — or just describe the development and we'll nominate the correct design vehicle.
We Model It
We run the turning movements in AutoTURN against AS 2890.1, AS 2890.2 and Austroads templates, plot the swept path envelope, and mark every clearance. If something doesn't fit, we tell you and suggest the fix.
Lodge & Approve
You receive council-ready diagrams to lodge via the NSW Planning Portal or your certifier. Council comment on the diagrams? We handle the minor revision free.
"We're an architectural firm and have used MK Traffic a number of times now. Great documentation, great price, short turnarounds to meet our deadlines. A professional firm we're proud to keep using for all our projects." Elias S — Damour Design
Swept path analysis FAQs
Direct answers to what NSW developers, builders and architects ask us most.
What is a swept path analysis?
It's a scaled diagram showing the full road area a vehicle covers as it turns — the swept path envelope traced by its outermost and innermost points. NSW councils require one to prove cars, trucks and waste vehicles can enter, manoeuvre and exit a site safely without hitting kerbs, columns or walls. MK models them in AutoTURN to AS 2890.1, AS 2890.2 and Austroads templates.
Do I need a swept path analysis for my DA?
Usually yes if your development has more than a couple of dwellings, on-site waste collection, a basement car park, a new driveway crossover, or any commercial or industrial vehicle access. Most NSW councils mandate the diagrams for multi-residential, commercial and industrial DAs. If your consent condition names AS 2890 or a "swept path", you need one — send us the wording and we'll confirm.
Which design vehicle does my site need?
It depends on the development type, your council's DCP and the waste contractor's fleet. Cars use the B85 and B99 templates from AS 2890.1; service and heavy vehicles use the SRV, MRV, HRV and articulated templates from AS 2890.2. Many metro councils default to a 10.5–12.5 m heavy rigid waste truck as the worst case. We nominate the correct vehicle before modelling — getting this wrong is a common cause of council RFIs.
How much does a swept path analysis cost?
MK prepares swept path diagrams from $600, with most standard residential and small commercial assessments between $600 and $800. Complex industrial sites, articulated vehicle access or full basement circulation are quoted on the plan. It's a small cost against the redesign and delay a council rejection causes — and send us a written competitor quote and we'll beat it by 10%.
How long does it take?
Most standard swept path assessments are turned around in 1–3 business days from receiving your site plan. If you're on a lodgement deadline, tell us — we routinely work to architects' and project managers' timeframes. Larger industrial or multi-vehicle jobs take a little longer, and we'll confirm the timeframe when we quote.
What software do you use?
We use AutoTURN, the industry-standard vehicle tracking software, with movements modelled to the parameters set out in Austroads AP-G34 Ed 4.0 and the AS 2890 series. Councils generally reject swept path diagrams produced with free online tools because they can't replicate steering lock, overhang and safety margins accurately. Our diagrams are built to be read and accepted by council engineers.
Why won't a free online swept path tool do?
Free templates can't accurately model steering lock, rear overhang cut-in, wheelbase geometry or the clearance margins councils require, so diagrams produced with them are routinely knocked back. Proper analysis also picks up vertical issues like ramp grounding that a flat template never shows. The cost of a rejection and redesign dwarfs the cost of getting it modelled properly the first time.
Is a swept path analysis the same as a CTMP?
No. A swept path analysis is one technical component — the turning diagrams. A Construction Traffic Management Plan (CTMP) is the full DA-condition document covering staging, truck routes, parking and pedestrian safety across the whole build, and it includes swept path diagrams inside it. If your DA needs a CTMP, the swept path work is built in rather than charged separately.
Can you fix a design that's already failed council?
Yes. Send us the council comment and your plan and we'll model where the design fails, show what's needed to make it work — a widened aisle, relocated column, revised turn-around — and produce the corrected diagrams for re-lodgement. Catching it before lodgement is cheaper, but a failed assessment isn't the end of the road.
Related traffic services
A swept path analysis often sits inside a larger document. Not sure which your DA requires? Send us the conditions and we'll confirm — same day.
Council CTMP & swept path pages
Need a swept path analysis?
Send us your site plan and DA conditions and we'll quote within the hour — and confirm exactly which design vehicle your council expects.
Get a Swept Path Quote