Furore over Harbour Bridge cycleway

By JUSTIN COOPER

Milsons Point citizens and cyclists are calling upon the state government to halt plans for an upcoming cycleway along the city’s iconic Harbour Bridge, citing concerns over the proposed design’s impact on heritage and park spaces. The bike path will stretch across the bridge and the adjacent Bradfield Park.

Critics have slammed the cycleway’s “linear ramp design” for its harmful impact on the heritage of the Harbour Bridge area and the risk it poses to pedestrians around the popular park area in Milson’s Point.

North Sydney Council and Milsons Point Community Group have submitted a letter to the Minns Government requesting further community consultation on the design before construction commences.

Preserving the area’s heritage

The detailed letter calls out the State Government’s “egregious conduct” of upholding the linear design, allegedly going against advice surrounding the area’s heritage.

City Hub spoke to Milsons Point Community Group spokesperson, Joan Street, on the impact of the linear design on community spaces and safety.

Street noted the significance of protecting the heritage of the Harbour Bridge including the heritage-listed Burton Street arch and Milsons Point station entrance.

The Detailed Heritage Framework by TonkinZulaikhaGreer (TZG) for Transport NSW pointed out that the open green spaces next to the existing staircase provide an “opportunity” for a “sympathetically designed” ramp element.

The community group says these recommendations were not considered in the final design.

Street said the linear design across the central Bradfield park area will obstruct the historical elements of the area.

“It destroys the visual sweep from north to south of the viaduct as it leads the eye to
the pylons and the arch itself,” said Street.

“[The] appreciation of the art deco viaduct detailing, the Burton Street arch, the western entrance way to the Milsons Point Railway Station and the station forecourt’s radial layout are all diminished,” Street explained.

“There is no way of ameliorating these effects by design tweaks to a linear ramp.”

Furthermore, concerns over pedestrian and cyclist safety from the downhill effect of the proposed ramp are also pointed out within the letter.

Without speed limiting features, Street says the linear design “encourages cyclists to freewheel at speed from the top of the Bridge to the exit point in Bradfield Park North.”

The community group is also expecting significant loss of green space and 20 percent of parking within the area following the linear ramps construction.

Alternative “Community Cycle Ramp”

Street irritates that the community group is not against a cycleway connecting to the bridge, with the group proposing an alternative ramp which observes the TZG heritage report and independent engineer advice.

Titled “The Community Cycle Ramp,” the group has been petitioning for the ramp to be considered by Transport NSW as a better alternative to the linear ramp.

“The Community Cycle Ramp… satisfies Australian and International codes, causes no harm to the Sydney Harbour Bridge and its parkland setting, and is safe for both cyclists and pedestrians,” Street said.

The online petition has over 7,000 signatures at the time of publication, as well as an additional 1,000 paper signatories supporting the group’s cycleway design.

Street continued, “Given Transport’s egregious behaviour, the community expects the Transport Minister to hold Transport [NSW] to account, otherwise it is a failure of our political system.”

Earlier in August, Transport Minister Jo Haylen announced the plans for the linear design are expected to begin construction “early next year.”

“The Minns Labor Government wants to make it easier for anyone who can walk or ride a bike, to walk and ride,” said Haylen.

“It frees up space on the roads and on public transport for others, it’s a lot of fun, and you get to enjoy one of the world’s best views as you zoom along the deck of the Harbour Bridge”

The Milsons Point Community group are yet to hear from the State Government following their letter of concern.