Works on the long-anticipated $3.74 million Mundy Street bike route through the centre of Bendigo will get underway in mid 2025.
The path will be separated from traffic, although shared with pedestrians at some locations, and stretch for 1km from McCrae Street to Back Creek, where it connects to the Back Creek Trail.
The City of Greater Bendigo is managing the project which has been funded by the Department of Transport and Planning (DTP).
The new path – to be built on the same side of the street as the Law Courts and Salvation Army – will also include the installation of new pedestrian-operated traffic lights where the path meets the arterial road network at Myers Street.
The DTP is also installing pedestrian-operated signals at the intersections of McCrae Street and Mundy Street, and Chapel Street and Hargreaves Street.
The new traffic lights at these intersections will provide a dedicated, safe crossing point for pedestrians, bike riders and other vulnerable road users and provide access to the Bendigo Creek Trail and the Bendigo Low Line.
City of Greater Bendigo presentation and assets director Brian Westley says the project is a key strategic action of six council strategies, including the Walking and Cycling Strategy, to connect existing off-road and future off-road trails and provide alternate access into the Bendigo city centre to support the growth of the municipality.
“Ultimately, the path will also connect to the Bendigo Creek Low Line which will enable people to access Epsom or Kangaroo Flat off road,” Mr Westley says.
“The project will be delivered in stages and while it is anticipated there will be some minor disruption to traffic flows in Mundy Street while the work is underway, access to businesses and properties will remain open at all times to ensure any disruptions are kept to a minimum.”
The council says the project will support safe travel to and from local schools and events in the Bendigo city centre and reduce traffic by providing sustainable active transport options
Works are expected to start mid next year and expected to be complete by the end of 2026.
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