The NSW Government today announced a feasibility study into the construction of a new continuous shared pathway, stretching from the Parramatta River to the Sydney Opera House.
Treasurer Dominic Perrottet announced $500,000 would be funded in the 2020-21 NSW Budget to explore the best options for establishing an 80km shared cycle and pedestrian path along the foreshore of the Parramatta River and the inner harbour.
“A pathway along Sydney’s foreshore would link the two centres of Sydney allowing more people to enjoy these jewels of our city and everything in between,” Mr Perrottet said.
“The pandemic has demonstrated the importance of having easy access to the great outdoors, providing quality spaces for people to enjoy and this is an opportunity to revitalise one of our city’s great waterways.
“The study will explore how the shared pathway can link Sydney’s two CBDs while also enabling people to use the pathway to take shorter trips on foot or by bike to shops and services, schools, parks and public transport to create a walking and cycling spine for local communities.”
Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Rob Stokes said if this vision is realised, it would reshape the way millions of Sydneysiders travel along the foreshore.
“The recent Public Spaces Ideas Competition showed there’s a huge public appetite for linear parks that showcase the best of our city,” Mr Stokes said.
“We have a vision to connect Sydney’s stunning harbour and river foreshores and create the types of public spaces and active transport options that this city truly deserves.”
A proposed plan for a shared pathway route along Sydney’s waterfront linking the Opera House and Parramatta’s CBD was presented to the NSW Government by the McKell Institute, an independent public policy institute, last month.
Transport for NSW will investigate:
- A foreshore loop in the Blackwattle and Rozelle Bay and repairing and reopening the Glebe Island Bridge to become a key walking and cycling link to Sydney CBD;
- A 10km foreshore loop around Canada Bay;
- A new Connecting Canada Bay to the Homebush Bay Circuit;
- Identifying missing links along the foreshore between Parramatta and Sydney.
The McKell Institute’s report estimates the project could generate between 1645 and 3145 jobs.
The NSW Government will invest around $710 million in walking and cycling infrastructure over the next four years bringing the total investment to almost $1.1 billion – the largest in the State’s history.