The City of Melbourne recently engaged Bicycle Network to investigate the behaviours of riders and pedestrians on the southside landing of the green cable stay bridge over Footscray Road in Docklands.
The council was interested in how bike riders and pedestrians would interact, and if they would cross the gravel path-separator, coming directly into the path of city-bound bike riders descending the bridge at speed and posing a significant safety risk.
Two Bicycle Network Artificial Intelligence Road Surveys (AIRS) cameras were set up during a week in October 2025 to monitor bike path movements, between 7am–10am and 3pm–6pm on weekdays and 9am–1pm on the weekend.
One was placed at the base of the bridge and the second at the intersection of the old Capital City Trail and the new green bridge.
The October 2025 study showed that:
- Up to 540 bike riders per hour travelled through the site, along with up to 20 pedestrians and 17 e-scooter riders.
- 25 pedestrians crossed the gravel path separator during the week, with 8 close to the base of the bridge where there is reduced visibility.
- 43 bike riders crossed the gravel path separator during the week, with 18 close to the base of the bridge.
- During the study there was one near-miss incident at the intersection of the paths; no conflicts occurred at the base of the bridge as a result of pedestrians or bike riders cutting across the gravel separator.
- However, riders often did not slow down to navigate the sharp corners at the intersection. Rather, they cut off the corner by riding on the wrong side of the path briefly, allowing them to maintain speed.
These findings will be used to inform any changes for improved safety at the base of the bridge.
The City of Melbourne will continue to observe how the bike traffic flow has changed since the opening of the Veloway.
The study marks another fantastic use of Bicycle Network's AIRS cameras, which capture video footage to study the movements of all types of vehicles at an intersection.
The data recorded helps policymakers see how many riders and pedestrians use particular traffic ways and make informed decisions about intersection configuration.
Looking for accurate and informative transport data? Contact us at bikefutures@bicyclenetwork.com.au to find out how AIRS can suit your needs, or visit our website.
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