Visionary progress on green transport network

Council has taken an historic step towards the “Liveable Green Network” envisioned in Sustainable Sydney 2030 by endorsing a network of safe cycleways. There has been overwhelming support for cycleways with Sustainable Sydney 2030 consultations revealing 97 per cent of people want Council to take action on global warming.

Sydneysiders told us they wanted a city with connected networks for walking and cycling. This year we will continue to gather your feedback and consult with you to help build the cycleways you told us you wanted for our City.

Supporting the switch to bikes

An integrated cycle network is vital for encouraging the switch to sustainable and healthy cycling. Major cities around the world have found that delivering safe, separated bicycle lanes has dramatically increased their number of cyclists. A year after Melbourne introduced separated lanes along Swanston Street there were 43 per cent more cyclists riding in the city. Since opening up the streets to cyclists as part of PlaNYC, New York has seen a 35 per cent increase in commuter cycling; and London has built up its city cycle journeys to 480,000 a day, aiming for a 400 per cent increase by 2025. By offering usable alternatives, major cities are helping to reduce congestion and pollution and can provide residents with a healthier and cheaper way to travel.

Getting City residents on their bikes

Seventy-five per cent of occasional cyclists report that they would ride more with dedicated and off-road routes and we’ve given priority to safer cycleways that separate riders from cars. Where the constraints of inner city streets prevent fully separated paths, we’ll achieve continuous cycling routes through shared paths for walking and cycling, or by making on-road lanes safer.

The City has committed $70 million over four years toward our 200 km planned cycle network and we are consulting on detailed designs that reflect local needs. Construction is nearly complete on a short separated cycleway on King Street in the CBD, and planning is underway for separated cycleways in Union Street Pyrmont, College Street in the CBD and Missenden Road Camperdown. Other projects have been identified where 35 km of cycleways can be built with a minimum of disruption or road works.

For more information on the City’s cycling network visit cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/cycling

 

Creating an inner city cycleway
The City, together with 14 surrounding inner Sydney Councils and the NSW Department of the Environment and Climate Change, has designed a coordinated cycling network extending from Willoughby in the north, Rockdale in the south, Canada Bay in the west and Woollahra in the east.

This proposal identifies a network of 245 kilometres of bike lanes, including 160 km of separated cycleways and 70 km of upgraded shared paths. Individual Council cycle routes would be linked to create a coordinated network that connects across local government boundaries to get cyclists to work, education, shopping and recreation destinations. The City is now seeking Federal funding on behalf of surrounding Councils to quickly achieve this useable network.

Seek support for our proposal for a Sustainable Transport network by writing to Federal Minister, Anthony Albanese at Parliament House, Canberra ACT 2600 or email A.Albanese.MP@aph.gov.au

See PDF Map | 5.8Mb

 

Key Projects

King Street
Construction on the City’s first separated cycleway link on King Street is due for completion in mid 2009. This cycleway will improve access between the CBD and the Pyrmont Bridge connection to the Inner West.

As part of the City’s CBD Street Improvement Program, an upgrade of King Street is being undertaken simultaneously and will include the planting of nine new trees.

 

College Street
Council endorsed design development for a separated cycleway in College Street, between Liverpool Street and Macquarie Street. The cycleway will provide an important link in the City centre and separate cyclists from traffic. The plan will also improve and widen the footpath at intersections to provide better pedestrian access.

Bourke Street
The Bourke Street Cycleway will provide a continuous 4.3km cycleway, making the existing route safer, and linking suburbs from Green Square in the south to Woolloomooloo in the north, with links to the CBD. Innovative intersection treatments will enhance priority for pedestrians and cyclists.

There will be 70 new trees, more landscaping, upgraded paving, extra pedestrian crossings, kerb extensions and better street lighting. Work is due to commence mid 2009.

 

Missenden Road
Following community consultation, the City is finalising plans for a separated two-way cycleway along the City side of Missenden Road and Lyons Road.

To improve safety and amenity, this important link to Sydney University and Newtown will also incorporate a traffic calming project. Work is due to commence late 2009.

Union Street
Already an important cycling and pedestrian corridor, this proposal inculdes a separated cycleway from the intersection of Murray Street and Union Street to Union Square and Harris Street. Work is scheduled to commence mid 2009.

 

Immediate Projects
To move forward with developing sustainable transport options, the City has prioritised 35 km of roads where separated destination focused cycleways can be introduced with minor traffic works and minimal disruption to local residents and businesses.

For each of these streets, information and the opportunity for feedback will be provided. Preparation for the installation of the first of these projects, on Bourke Road, Mandible and Bowden Streets Alexandria, is underway.