Lane Cove Tunnel Bike Lane

As a condition of approval for the entire Lane Cove Tunnel project, Connector Motorways are contracted to construct a 7.5 km long cycleway and pedestrian path between Merrenburn Ave, Naremburn and Wicks Rd, North Ryde.  The contract requires the provision of bus lanes, turning bays, a cycleway and footpath within 6 months of the tunnel’s opening.  This cycleway is to include a section beside Longueville and Epping Road, which is notoriously dangerous for cyclists at present due to narrow kerbside lanes and heavy traffic.

However not only has the government backtracked on its commitment to provide cycling facilities in association with the Lane Cove Tunnel project, it even paid Connector Motorways NOT to begin the construction of a cycleway along Epping Road.  The RTA paid the company $25 million dollars in compensation to break its contract, in order to appease operators of private vehicles until after the 2007 election. 

The future of the Epping Road cycleway is now uncertain, but given the precedent set by the William Street bike lane, it is clear that the public will have to fight to keep it on the agenda.  Lee Rhiannon remains committed to holding the government to its promises, and continues to raise the issue in parliamentary question time and in the media.  Lee was also a member of the Lane Cove Tunnel Inquiry, and recommended in her dissenting report that “the government should not erode improvements to bike, pedestrian and public transport facilities associated with the LCT project.”