Design treatments

The Garden City Cycleway is currently proposed to include sections of 3 and 4 metre wide walking and cycling path. The location of the path in the verge has been chosen to avoid constraints such as utilities, existing trees/landscaping and driveway crossings.

The path also is proposed to run through sections of open space and green space, better connecting key locations in the surrounding suburbs.

Some sections of the designs remain subject to further investigations due to existing site constraints.

Active streets

Active streets are designed to:

• create a safe mixed-use road environment enabling cyclists, micro-mobility users and vehicles to all use the street environment together
• create streets which encourage residents to walk, play and use their streets as community spaces.

Active streets may include:

• raised concrete areas or pavement treatments at the entry to a street to signal a change in street environment
• concrete islands, landscaping or pavement treatments used to create short one-lane sections to encourage shared environment
• landscaping and other features to assist in promoting an area that is used for all types of safe travel and mobility
• line marking, bike sharrows (two chevrons painted above a bicycle symbol on the road pavement), pavement treatments or wording to communicate shared environment and priority for cyclists and pedestrians.

Proposed route - preliminary design

View the preliminary sketch plans (PDF 30.5 MB) for all 7 routes which include:

• Segment 1: Cooyong Street
• Segment 2: Torrens Street - Cooyong Street to Ijong Street
• Segment 3: Ijong Street - Torrens Street to Angas Street/Limestone Avenue intersection
• Segment 4: Angas Street – Limestone Avenue to Majura Avenue via Ainslie Oval
• Segment 5: Majura Avenue – Ainslie Oval to Hawdon Street
• Segment 6(a): Majura Avenue/Phillip Avenue
• Segment 6(b): Majura Avenue/Hawdon Place/Frencham Street/Bradfield Street/Windeyer Street
• Segment 7: Knox Street to Antill Street via Simpson Street playground and Aspinall Street

Construction: Stage 1

In the 2023-24 ACT Budget, the ACT Government matched the $5 million committed by the Australian Government for detailed design and construction of the first stage of the route. This includes segments one to four identified in the preliminary stage of design, which includes the connections between the City and Braddon from Cooyong Street, along Torrens and Ijong streets and along Angas Street to Majura Avenue.

Stage 1 has been split as follows:

A. Torrens Street between Cooyong Street and Ipima Street
B. Torrens Street from Ipima Street to Ijong Street and along Ijong Street to Limestone Avenue
C. Angas Street between Limestone Avenue and Majura Avenue
D. Cooyong Street.

1A: Torrens Street between Cooyong Street and Ipima Street

This is the first part of the route to be constructed. It includes both the path and new raised zebra crossings.

A new 4 metre wide concrete walking and cycling path will be constructed in the eastern verge of Torrens Street, from Cooyong Street to Henty Street and a new 3 metre wide path will continue from Henty Street to Ijong Street in Braddon.

The existing concrete path will be removed and replaced. Where the cycleway crosses driveways, sections of the driveway will be treated with coloured pavement and line marking to alert users to the driveway crossing point.

In addition, 6 new raised concrete zebra crossings will be constructed along the cycleway at the crossing points on Torrens Street (near Cooyong Street), Elouera Street, Girrahween Street, Henty Street, Helemon Street and Ipima Street. You can take a look at the detailed drawing (PDF 3.6 MB).

1B: Torrens Street from Ipima Street to Ijong Street and along Ijong Street to Limestone Avenue

This is the second part of the cycleway to be constructed. It includes both the path and traffic lights at the Limestone Avenue intersection.

A new 3 metre wide asphalt walking and cycling path will be constructed in the eastern verge of Torrens Street and Ijong Street. The existing concrete path will be removed and replaced by the new path. Where the path crosses driveways, sections of the driveway will be treated with coloured pavement marking and line marking used to alert of the driveway crossing point. In addition, new traffic lights will be installed at the Limestone Avenue/Ijong Street/Angas Street intersection. You can take a look at the detailed drawing (PDF 1.8 MB)

1C: Angas Street from Limestone Avenue to Majura Avenue

This is the third part of the cycleway to be constructed. It includes both the path and 4 raised concrete zebra crossings.

A new 3 metre wide asphalt walking and cycling path will be constructed in the eastern verge at the start of Angas Street then crossing to the western verge and continuing to Majura Avenue. The existing concrete path will be removed and replaced by the new path. Where the path crosses driveways, sections of the driveway will be treated with coloured pavement marking and line marking used to alert of the driveway crossing point. In addition, four raised concrete zebra crossings will be constructed along the cycleway at the crossing points on Angas Street, Wakefield Avenue and at the Ainslie district playing fields carpark entry and exit. You can take a look at the detailed drawing (PDF 7.1 MB).

The City and Gateway Urban Design Framework proposed a route for the Garden City Cycleway. The below table sets out the differences between it and the now preferred route.

The City and Gateway Urban Design Framework (December 2018) identified a preliminary alignment for the Garden City Cycleway. This alignment was further investigated by the ACT Government to understand potential cycling routes between Watson and the City.

A feasibility study was undertaken to review the previously identified route alignments and consider the constraints and opportunities present along the route to ultimately determine an achievable route. A preliminary design has now been completed to confirm the preferred route, propose intersection treatments and consider urban design and landscape elements to ensure careful consideration of all elements of the proposed route.

During the feasibility study and preliminary design stage, several consultation sessions were held with key stakeholders and information was gathered through a series of route alignment rides, workshops and presentations to the residents group. Stakeholders included representatives from advocacy groups and inner north community groups.

Broader engagement was undertaken with the community following the release of the preliminary designs in October 2023. Two pop-up information sessions were held and a ride along was held on Saturday 11 November 2023 in partnership with Pedal Power.

The proposed infrastructure will be shared by cyclists and pedestrians for the most part. In high activity and conflict areas, separation will be provided if considered necessary and practicable within site constraints.

The proposed path is to be constructed in a developed urban environment and consequently there are many physical constraints that restrict the width of path to the minimum recommended. These constraints include verge widths, driveways, trees, and services infrastructure including streetlight and power poles. Three metre paths will still provide plenty of room to allow people to share the space.

The paths will be constructed of asphalt where possible but may be obliged to be concrete in areas for reasons of urban design, ground conditions or tree root management.

The ACT Government has completed preliminary designs for the full Garden City Cycleway from the City through to Watson.

In the 2023-24 ACT Budget, the first stage of works consisting of segments one to four was funded for detailed design and construction over 3 years.

Further detailed design and construction of segments five to seven is subject to future funding opportunities.

Ahead of the construction phase, letterbox drops will be carried out to those residents and businesses located along the route. There will be an opportunity to meet with the project team on site to understand what the alignment is and how it interacts with your property and what temporary changes there may be for property access during construction.

The Active Travel Plan proposes a vision of more people walking and cycling more often and identifies priorities for strengthening active travel and improving quality of life. The Garden City Cycleway addresses many of these priorities including through the provision of safe infrastructure for walking and cycling, providing a network for walking and cycling that is better connected and making active travel easier.

The Design Guide provides guidance and examples to help practitioners aspire to best practice design of urban intersections and streets to support all transport including active travel infrastructure.

The Garden City Cycleway project aspires to best practice and will be guided by the current infrastructure standards and documents and will implement Safety in Design assessments to achieve safe and functional outcomes.