A new elevated cycling route from the Maribyrnong River to the CBD has been cautiously welcomed by some cyclists, but panned by others as “green-washing”.
The 2.5 kilometre “veloway” would be suspended beneath a freeway raised above Footscray Road as part of the rebranded West Gate Tunnel project, connecting with a new bridge over Footscray Road near Costco.
The enclosed pathway would be part of 14 kilometres of new and upgraded cycling and walking paths in the project, including the Federation Trail’s missing link, a new path along Hyde Street and a new bridge over Whitehall Street next to Yarraville Gardens, near where cyclist Arju Baglar, a mother of two, died after colliding with a truck on March 10.
The proposal has been welcomed by some cyclists as a quicker route with fewer traffic lights, as others question whether it will ever be built and suggest it is being used to ‘greenwash’ the freeway project.
Bicycle Victoria has backed the veloway and the addition of new bike lanes from Dynon Road into the west end of the city.
But community group Western Connection expressed wariness at the public “being sold a corporate monstrosity lined with promises of trinkets and frills”.
Williamstown MP Wade Noonan said the new cycling infrastructure will mean almost entirely off-road cycling routes between Werribee and the CBD.
“This new path will take cyclists and pedestrians away from that dangerous intersection of Somerville Road and Whitehall Street,” he said.
“Upon completion, this will be some of the best walking and cycling infrastructure anywhere in Victoria.”
Western suburbs Greens MP Colleen Hartland accused Labor of blackmailing people rather than caring about cycling safety.
“They are really spruiking this bike route, but the fact is they could do this right now if they wanted to, rather than waiting until 2022 and using it to blackmail people into supporting Transurban’s massive new freeway.”
