UPDATED: A major exercise to remove one of the huge cranes at the City Square will close the southbound bike lane at the tram stop for five continuous days next week.
There will be a 24-hour-a-day closure of the bike lane at the City Square worksite from 6am Tuesday 12 November, until 6pm Saturday 16 November.
There will then be a series of day or night closures for most of November and early December.
The activity will be undertaken in stages as various sections of the southern-most crane and supporting structures are disassembled and removed.
Trams will continue to run during the works.
As all pedestrians will be directed to the other, western, footpath the option for riders to walk their bike southbound for a block on the footpath is not recommended.
Instead, southbound riders can choose to avoid Swanston Street completely by taking streets to the east (Exhibition or Russell) or to the west.
Note that as Flinders Street eastbound between Elizabeth and Swanston remains closed to traffic, that will not be a detour option for riders west of Swanston Street. Riders should detour further west to William Street and cross the Yarra at Queensbridge Street before proceeding on their journey.
Riders heading northbound on Swanston Street will have access to the street, however there will be works underway on the adjacent Metro Tunnel worksite.
Traffic management will be in place to close off southbound bike and pedestrian traffic during the various stages of the crane removal.
Similar arrangements were in place for the erection of the cranes in 2022. The photo above is from the 2022 erection of the north crane.
Riders should be aware that there will also be a closure of the Collins Street footpath outside the City Square site during this time for unrelated works, however the traffic lane will remain open for people on bikes.
On a task of this nature the schedule is subject to numerous contingencies and may alter from day to day, so riders should continue to monitor signage along the route.
Instead, southbound riders can choose to avoid Swanston Street completely by taking streets to the east (Exhibition or Russell) or to the west. Note that as Flinders Street eastbound between Elizabeth and Swanston remains closed to traffic, that will not be a detour option for riders west of Swanston Street.
Riders should detour further west to William Street and cross the Yarra at Queensbridge before proceeding on their journey.
Riders heading northbound on Swanston will have access to the street, however there will be works underway on the adjacent Metro Tunnel worksite.
Traffic management will be in place to close off southbound bike and pedestrian traffic during the various of the crane removal, which will involve both day and night closures
Similar arrangements were in place for the erection of the cranes in 2022. The photo above is from the 2022 erection of the north crane.
The closure will begin on Thursday 7 November and conclude on 9 December 2024.
Riders should be aware that there will also be a closure of the Collins Street footpath outside the City Square site during this time for unrelated works, however the traffic lane will remain open for people on bikes.
This page will be updated with developments in the project.
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