Public spaces

We care for our roads and footpaths to keep them safe and accessible for everyone. Over time and with regular use, weather, and ageing materials can cause wear and tear.

Our road renewal projects use large machinery and vehicles. They’re usually completed in a few days to minimise disruption and return the road for use as quickly as possible.

Footpath upgrades may take a little longer as we carefully work around trees, utilities and underground infrastructure. We also need to maintain access for businesses and minimise disruption to the community during the works.

These projects allow us to enhance our streetscapes by adding greenery, improving shade and the overall look and feel of our public spaces.

These works are guided by our walking strategy and action plan, inclusive and accessible public domain policy and access strategy and action plan.

Our bridges, walls, fences and stairs are vital parts of the city, helping to connect neighbourhoods and support daily life. Keeping them in good condition ensures they’re safe and accessible for everyone to use.

From small jobs like painting or stonework repairs to larger projects such as updating bridge decks, we aim to keep access open where possible.

There may be times when temporary closures are needed to complete works safely. In these cases, we’ll provide alternative routes, and stage longer projects to reduce inconvenience.

These works are guided by our inclusive and accessible public domain policy and access strategy and action plan.

Fixing and replacing lights is an important part of making our city safer and more accessible for everyone.

We regularly inspect and monitor the lights we own across the local area. When we replace lights, the works usually include trenching for new conduits, switchboards and light poles.

We regularly check and maintain lighting we own, upgrading older systems to energy-efficient LEDs when possible. Some lights are owned by Ausgrid, and while we work closely with them, these upgrades may take a little extra time.

These works are guided by our inclusive and accessible public domain policy and access strategy and action plan.

When we replace old, blocked, or damaged pipes we look for the best way to do this. This may be by inserting a new pipe through the old pipe (relining) or excavating out the old pipe and putting in a newer and bigger pipe when we can.

As part of our commitment to improving water quality, new pipes, pits and pollution catchment devices are needed.

Where possible, we use less disruptive methods like relining existing pipes to minimise the need for excavation. Larger upgrades, like installing new pipes or pollution catchment devices, may occasionally require temporary road or footpath closures. Once these works are finished, we restore the area back to its original condition.

These works are guided by our floodplain management plans, water management plans and environmental strategy.

Getting around our city safely by walking and riding is a top priority for our communities.

We’re improving our streets and footpaths by installing new or raised crossings that are more accessible. We prioritise people walking with continuous footpath treatments that raise the road to the footpath level which slows traffic and makes pedestrians more visible to drivers.

These projects also give us the chance to add greenery, like trees and gardens, creating more enjoyable public spaces for everyone.

These works are guided by our walking strategy and action plan, cycling strategy and action plan and inclusive and accessible public domain policy.