An upgraded Maribyrnong River bike path, improvements to the bike route from Footscray to Highpoint and better connections for cyclists under the West Gate Freeway are among the major recommendations in the city’s new bicycle strategy.
The draft, five-year strategy, endorsed by Maribyrnong council on August 12, also includes a plan to develop continuous north-south routes through Footscray, bicycle lanes on Williamstown Road between Somerville Road and Geelong Street in Kingsville, new bridges across the Maribyrnong River, and a two-way off-road path on the south side of Buckley Street in Footscray to West Footscray railway station.
The draft strategy presented to the council in May, noted key sections of the bike network were missing or needed upgrading and found cyclist numbers would improve with more suitable infrastructure.
“Issues of safety and safe paths are the most common reasons cited for not riding,” it stated.
VicRoads plans to deliver three new bike projects in the western suburbs by July next year, including traffic signals at the intersection of Whitehall and Parker streets, Footscray.
The $5.3 million Federation Trail extension, over the Newport-Albion freight line, will link to Fogarty Avenue in Yarraville by the end of this year.
