Cyclists and pedestrians are only weeks away from being able to enjoy new, safer shared paths along Sunbury Road thanks to a massive investment in active transport by Big Build Roads.
Local community members this month previewed a section of almost 8km of new and upgraded walking and cycling paths – which will officially be fully complete next month - linking Apex Park in Sunbury, into Goonawarra and through to Bulla-Diggers Rest/Loemans Road on Sunbury’s eastern fringe.
The Sunbury Road Upgrade has extended links in Sunbury walking and cycling network, enhancing safety for some of our most vulnerable road users along the full length of this important route while also connecting to existing cycle and pedestrian paths in the area.
These new shared paths along Sunbury Road create a strategic corridor for accessible travel for pedestrians and cyclists travelling to a wide variety of local shops, schools and community services in Sunbury and beyond.
Over many months, construction crews worked on a major upgrade to the existing path running along the northern edge of Sunbury Road to Francis Boulevard in Goonawarra, which has been widened to provide a safety buffer between the path and existing traffic lanes.
The path has also been upgraded to a new smoother surface which connects with the new Jacksons Creek bridge underpass shared path, providing a suitable off-road alternative.
A new fully separated cycling and walking path has been constructed from Francis Boulevard/Sunbury Road intersection to Bulla-Diggers Rest/Loemans Road, with pedestrian crossings over Sunbury Road rebuilt to make the paths more accessible to the community.
New and improved cycling routes across greater-Sunbury gives residents more choice about how they choose to travel.
Improvements to the cycling and footpath network were made as a direct result of the consultation undertaken on the project, which is the most direct and safest route for cyclists and pedestrians.
The shared paths accommodate the rapidly growing residential areas on Sunbury’s eastern edges, while motorists will have safer road conditions with less congestion and better traffic flow.
The Sunbury Road Upgrade is part of the Suburban Roads Upgrade – the biggest investment in suburban roads in Victoria’s history – to fix 22 key suburban arterials and create more than 4,200 jobs.
As part of the Suburban Roads Upgrade package, several other key routes through Melbourne’s northern suburbs are currently being upgraded, including Craigieburn Road, Epping Road and Bridge Inn Road.
Improvements to Sunbury Road will better link local communities, local services and employment hubs, including the Somerton industrial precinct and Broadmeadows and Epping city centres.
The Sunbury Road Upgrade is scheduled for completion by 2025.