The NSW Government is pressing ahead with improvements to bike riding routes in the Sydney CBD, on Monday confirming the long-awaited King Street cycleway is due for completion by the end of 2023.
King Street has long been an important thoroughfare for commuters heading into the CBD from Sydney’s west, with thousands traveling the route each day. But gaps in the separated cycleway have left riders to mingle wiith cars, buses and other vehicles as they move through these busy city blocks.
Billed as a missing link in the city’s bike riding network, the bidirectional King Street cycleway will run along three blocks to connect the Pitt Street cycleway with bike routes to the east and south, providing riders with a safer route into the CBD.
Investigation works are slated to begin in late February. In the meantime, the NSW Government is inviting the community to share their thoughts on the proposed design of the King Street cycleway, with the consultation period opening today and closing at 5 pm on Monday 6 February. You can have your say here.
Meanwhile, progress is being made on another troublesome spot in Sydney’s bike network, with the state government sharing new designs for the Oxford Street East cycleway.
This bidirectional, separate bike lane would run along the southern side of the busy Oxford Street between Paddington Gates and Taylor Square, again, connecting with other bike paths to bolster the active transport network across the city.
“These crucial connections are the final missing links in major bike routes linking to the city,” Minister for Active Transport Rob Stokes said in a statement. “The King Street cycleway will connect riders from the Anzac and Sydney Harbour Bridge, while Oxford Street East will connect riders from Bondi and beyond.”
The proposed design for the Oxford Street East cycleway involves the reduction of traffic lanes from four to two, while retaining two bus lanes and kerbside parking. Once completed, it would connect with the Centennial Park cycleway, and the Oxford Street West cycleway, where construction is due to begin after the World Pride Festival.
The Oxford Street East cycleway remains in the planning stage, with the state government today releasing its high-level strategic design. An interactive map of the proposed cycleway can be viewed here, where the community is also invited to provide feedback from today up until 28 February. Planning work is expected to be completed this year.
City of Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore is supportive of a design revamp for the cycleways.
“King Street and Oxford Street are integral links in our cycleway network. There are more riders on these routes than anywhere in the city but there are also more crashes, so it’s important we improve the infrastructure to ensure anyone who chooses to ride can do so safely.”
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