Here are the best bicycle infrastructure improvements in 2021 across the whole of Sydney. To win, there must be an increase in the numbers of people using the path or facility, the path has to pretty safe, good looking and fun to ride. It doesn’t have to be long if it connects existing trails better. ( If you wish to just see the photos – click here )
Now if you want some suspense – watch the video or scroll down for the winners
1st Place – Parramatta Escarpment Boardwalk
The Parramatta boardwalk was always going to be a great idea for cycling. Prior to its completion, you had to cross some less than perfect bridges and ride past and through the users of the ferry service down the river, it got more complicated after than and required a climb to a bridge path and then a busy road crossing. Over a million people used this a year, so why not build a fantastic shared path. Read about it on the council web site
Usage: Very High
Distance: 300m
Cost: A lot
See photos of the Parramatta River cyclepath or view the video here
2nd Place – The Northern Road Shared Path and Road Verge
Starting between Kingswood and Glenmore is the Northern Rd cycleway. Its a really high quality concrete cycleway that runs unbroken all the way past Oran Park to Narellen. There isn’t a lot to say about this track apart from its easy to ride and there are only two places to stop at, Luddenham and Bringelly. There are also very few road crossings of note. The path crosses from the west to east near Bringelly and the signage for this is poor.
See the video from Glenmore Park to Bringelly or view the path on the map.
Website: Read more on how to connect from the M7 Cycleway
or find out more on the Penrtith Area page
Distance: in 2021 they added 24km of shared path
Distance: In 2019 Narellan to Bringelly was completed 11km for a total of 35km.
Usage: Moderate so far
Third Place – The paths around Central Station
In Sydney, most of the cycling infrastructure occurs in the easier places to build a trail. The recent exception to this rule is the paths that get you around Central Station from Prince Alfred Park to Belmore Park. With the completion of the final 40 metres from Prince Alfred down Chalmers to the tram stop, Sydney riders now have a continuous trail through a really busy section of Sydney. There is one choke point where the pedestrians cross Elizabeth Street to walk to the station but this generally works out fine. I just like it because it all seems to work. See the video here
Distance: 600m from Prince Alfred Park to Belmore Park
Usage: High
See on map >>
Just Missed Out
- The very good from the get go High St Popup cycleway alongside NSW University near the racetrack. It didn’t get a lot of patronage but with the university completely empty the whole year, that is not a surprise. I hope it stays as High Street is a steep important street.
- The shared path along Pittwater Rd from High St Gladesville to Epping Rd. Its all shared path but it is very adjacent to the busy road on a steep section. It doesn’t seem very teenager friendly which is a pity as there is a brand new kids bike park in Boronia Park at the end of High Street. Kudos to the council for finally finishing this but it needs more work. See on map here
- The rather good Saunders St and Miller St cycleway in Pyrmont that runs down to Anzac bridge. See on this video here or on the Sydney Map
Whats About to happen in 2022
There are a few cycle projects that area very close to completion. One is the Bondi Junction Cycleway that has 200m to go to complete the journey from Syd Einfeld Drive to Centennial Park. Another is the cycleway from Newtown to Stanmore and onto Summer Hill. Whilst it would be easy to include the new Stanmore section (Railway Avenue) into the contest this year (map link), this project will be looked at in 2022 where future sections will make this a very compelling piece of infrastructure. Hopefully there will be a magical connection with the tiny new section of shared path on Longport St near Lewisham West.
The third project is Livingston Rd, Marrickville. A lot of this is completed but it the Inner West council can get this down to Marrickville Station and the Cooks River, it will be really good and popular. And another project that has stormed along since it was announced a few months ago is the Darley Rd Queens Park cycleway. Check out the progress on this video
Two other projects that could storm to the podium in 2022 will be the Sydney Harbour Bridge ramp, long time winner of the shonky prize. Read the latest and Here is the other, ironically a Westconnex bridge to a new Roselle Park. Ironic because Westconnex won the …
Shonkies Prize Winner 2021
This year the prize goes to the shared path up the main made mountain in the St Peters interchange of the M8 Westconnex. This collapsing lump is a mess where it was marketed as a gift to the people of Sydney. It seemed like it would be a voyage to a great view. Alas it wins the 2021 shonkies prize and in Sydney, that takes some doing. PS. There are 900,000 weeds on the hill.
See many of Sydneys worst network blockers on a map >>