Cyclists and walkers from Streaky Bay to Middleton will get new paths, crossings and safety work, with 16 projects across South Australia sharing $5 million from the latest State Bicycle Fund round.
Grants of up to $200,000 have gone to councils for new paths, upgrades to existing infrastructure and design work on future projects. The work is all due to happen this financial year.
In Adelaide, nine councils will share the money, which covers new shared use paths totalling more than two kilometres, four wombat crossings, a pedestrian-actuated crossing and safety work at a busy CBD intersection.
Five regional councils are funded for new paths as well. They include 400 metres on the Encounter Bikeway, 700 metres along Marina Drive in Port Lincoln and 260 metres on Montgomerie Terrace in Streaky Bay.
The Barossa Council will put its share towards another three kilometres of the Amy Gillett Bikeway, between Birdwood and Mount Pleasant.
An earlier stretch of the bikeway, between Mount Torrens and Birdwood, was delivered last year by the three levels of government working together.
“We are investing in a range of initiatives focused on active travel, and programs such as the State Bicycle Fund help to improve safety for cyclists and make bike riding a more appealing transport option for South Australians,” Minister for Infrastructure and Transport Joe Szakacs said.
“Our research when developing South Australia’s Transport Strategy showed us that 44 per cent of people want to cycle and walk more often, but only four per cent of South Australians feel safe cycling along direct routes.”
“Safer paths and crossings can make the difference between wanting to ride a bike and feeling confident enough to do it,” said BikeSA President Nathan Petrus.
“More than two-thirds of respondents to BikeSA’s recent advocacy survey identified a lack of safe infrastructure as a barrier to cycling. These projects will help address that concern for people riding to work or enjoying a ride with their families.”
The grants come on top of far bigger State Government spending that also covers walking and cycling, including the $15.4 billion Torrens to Darlington Project and the $870 million Tram Grade Separations Project.
As well as a non-stop South Road, the Torrens to Darlington Project will deliver more than 22 kilometres of shared use paths, new and upgraded, for people walking and cycling along the corridor. Five shared-use bridges are part of that work, which is at various stages of design and construction.
The wider network now includes an upgraded Mike Turtur Bikeway, with new elevated sections opening in September under the tram project to better connect the city with Glenelg along the tramline.
Other State Government programs are aimed at active travel too. Better Access to Public Transport improves bike accessibility and amenity at public transport stops, while the Greenway and Cycle Paths program supports cycling paths away from main road routes.
The Way2Go infrastructure program helps primary school children and their families choose more active travel. A further $37 million from the state and federal governments has been allocated to pedestrian and cycling safety improvements under the National Road Safety Program.
More detail on the State Bicycle Fund is on the South Australian Government’s cycling grants page.
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