A missing link in the Federation Trail will be completed as part of the Western Distributor project.
A 3.5 kilometre stretch of the shared trail between Williamstown Road and Hyde Street at Yarraville will be built as part of almost 10 kilometres of new and improved cycling and pedestrian paths.
New paths will run on both sides of Kororoit Creek, and separated paths will cross beneath the West Gate Freeway on both sides of Millers Road and Williamstown Road.
The project will also connect the Dynon Road shared path with Capital City Trail, Moonee Ponds Creek Trail and Spencer Street via new crossings of Moonee Ponds Creek and Dynon Road Rail lines.
Roads Minister Luke Donnellan said citybound sections of path will also be elevated at key road crossings near the port, and nearly one kilometre of new paths will link the Somerville Road-Whitehall Street intersection with the Maribyrnong River.
“The local community and cycling community told us that they wanted to fix the gaps in the cycling network and that’s what we’re doing,” he said.
Williamstown MP Wade Noonan said the upgrades will improve safety and provide a more direct travel route for cyclists travelling from the inner West to the city.
Traffic lights on Hyde Street will connect the Federation Trail to the Hobsons Bay Coastal Trail and Bay Trail.
But concerns have been raised the plan leaves a safety gap on Hyde Street.
Western suburbs Greens MP Colleen Hartland said the upgrades are welcome, but appear to leave another missing link.
“Hyde Street will become even more dangerous for cyclists if the western distributor is built due to the new truck off-ramps,” she said. “No upgrades appear to be planned for it, yet it is the crucial link between the Federation Trail running along the West Gate Freeway and Footscray Road.”
Ms Hartland said the Federation Trail should be off road all the way to the city.
