Work has begun on Canberra’s Garden City Cycleway, an active transport route connecting the suburbs of the inner north with the City.

The cycleway will run east of Northbourne Avenue through Watson, Downer, Hackett, Dickson, Ainslie and Braddon, and join Canberra’s main cycling network on Bunda and Allara streets.

It will mirror the Sullivans Creek path on the western side of Northbourne Avenue.

The first stage of works will deliver the new cycleway from Cooyong Street in Braddon through to Angas Street in Ainslie. It is expected to complete by early 2025.

The first stage will build a four-metre-wide concrete walking and cycling path on Torrens Street from Cooyong Street to Henty Street, and a three-metre-wide path from Henty Street to Ijong Street in Braddon.

The concrete path will be replaced, and six raised concrete zebra crossings constructed.

The $10 million project is jointly funded by the Australian and ACT Governments as part of broader efforts to build active, sustainable and well-connected cities; each committed $5 million.

Procurement is underway for the next two construction packages, which will include works along Torrens Street, Ijong Street and Angas Street, including traffic lights at the Limestone Avenue / Ijong Street intersection.

“The Garden City Cycleway will connect Canberrans to schools, local health centres, businesses and green spaces from Watson to the city,” Chief Minister Andrew Barr said.

“More people reside in the city and gateway corridor along Northbourne Avenue than ever, and the surrounding inner north suburbs are continuing to grow. Building a network of streets and public spaces that supports active travel will help to prevent congestion now and in the future. 

“The Garden City Cycleway delivers on these objectives by providing safer infrastructure for walking and cycling, improving the existing network to make it better connected and easier for Canberrans to choose active travel.”

Cycling advocacy group Pedal Power ACT said they were “really delighted to see that construction on the Garden City Cycle Route has begun”.

“This project has been a long time coming, and it’s great it’s getting going. We’re hoping the ACT Government can keep up the momentum now and get this thing finished as soon as possible.”