Sydney Is Getting Six New Temporary Bike Paths By the End of June

With new limits on how many people can catch buses and trains due to social distancing, Sydneysiders are being encouraged to walk and cycle into work. To help, the City of Sydney and Transport for NSW are building six new cycleways to make it easier to get around the Harbour City.

The cycleways will be located across the CBD, Erskineville, Rosebery, Surry Hills and Pyrmont — and, while exciting news for cyclists, the paths are just a temporary fix. But, while temporary, the cycleways are set to be up and running by the end of June.

They'll be constructed from a combination of barriers, line markings and lane dividers, which Lord Mayor Clover Moore said are "quick and simple" to implement. "We already have an extensive program of cycleways and public domain improvements, but we need short term tactical measures that can be implemented in weeks," the Lord Mayor said.

As well as constructing cycleways, the Council will be temporarily widening footpaths in the CBD to allow for higher levels of foot traffic.

The exact locations of the paths, highlighted in orange in the map below, are:

• Pitt Street north between King Street and Reiby Place, CBD
• Henderson Road, Eveleigh and Railway Parade/Bridge Street, Erskineville
• Dunning Avenue, Rosebery
• Moore Park Road and Fitzroy Street, Paddington/Surry Hills
• Pyrmont Bridge Road, Pyrmont
• Sydney Park Road, Erskineville

The City of Sydney is also considering temporary bike paths on Oxford Street in Darlinghurst, King Street in Newtown and across King, College an Castlereagh streets in the CBD.

Click to enlarge.

A more permanent cycleway that is set to be constructed is across the Sydney Harbour Bridge. At the moment, cyclists have to haul their bikes up and down 55 steps to cross the bridge, but, according to the Sydney Morning Herald, Transport for NSW is close to finalising plans for bike ramps at both ends after the project was sidelined two years ago due to community opposition.

If you're yet to go back to work and are contemplating your commute options, bear in mind the new public transport limits. Because of social distancing, two-door buses are limited to 12 commuters, Waratah trains 35 and Freshwater ferries 245, which works out to be about 25 percent capacity.

To find out more information about City of Sydney's temporary cycle routes, head to the council website.