A Cycleway Three Years In the Making
Photo: Artistic Render of the Curl Curl - Freshwater Cycleway (source: Northern Beaches Council)
Change takes time, and in the case of the Curl Curl - Freshwater Connectivity and Streetscape Upgrade, lots and lots of time.
The Northern Beaches Council first considered options to better connect the Sydney suburbs of Curl Curl and Freshwater in 2021. Though a shared path was originally proposed, an outpouring of community support for a separated cycleway saw it approved in April 2022 and works began in November 2022.
This was a massive win for the community. The cycleway will connect thousands of homes, shops, two schools and several parks to the existing cycleway network. An outline of the cycleway’s 1.4km route within the planned cycleway network is shown below.
Proposed Cycleway Network (source: Bicycle NSW / Better Streets Northern Beaches)
However, since work began it hasn’t been smooth sailing. Local residents encountered issues such as not knowing where to park or how to access their driveways, and narrowed lanes made it more difficult to turn safely. After community outcry, work was paused in June 2023 and partially reversed, for further community consultation and refinement.
Following further community consultation, the option of a shared pedestrian-cyclist path was revived as a compromise. Better Streets Northern Beaches firmly objected to the shared path option, the reasons including:
A shared path would naturally have lower amenity, capacity and higher travel time;
Owing to space constraints, the shared path would be narrow, risking conflict and collisions between riders and pedestrians, a growing issue with the rise of e-bikes and e-scooters; and
The removal of 43 mature street trees, which provide necessary shade and are a vital component of any good street.
Throughout this process Better Streets Northern Beaches has worked with Northern Beaches Council to complete this cycleway. Better Streets Northern Beaches and Bicycle NSW have lodged several joint submissions and met with the project team on multiple occasions. Following these discussions Council’s team implemented several suggested changes such as additional landscaping along the route.
Crucially, after Better Streets' advocacy with strong support from the community, Councillors voted in April 2024 to move forward with the proposed separated cycleway, pending Transport for NSW feedback. An artistic render of what the cycleway might look like when complete is given above (title image).
Better Streets Northern Beaches wholeheartedly supports the Curl Curl to Freshwater Cycleway and hope that this marathon journey to deliver a cycleway is coming to an end. The project will not only provide a new and safe Active Transport connection, but will deliver a whole host of other benefits including:
Over a dozen upgraded intersections including new raised pedestrian and bicycle crossings;
A portion of Park Street connecting to Curl Curl Lagoon becoming a quiet 20km/h zone and
Improvements to the public domain, such as improved signage, landscaping and bus shelters.
While this project, like so many others, has encountered hurdles and delays we are confident that once complete, the community will wonder how they ever lived without it!
Nevertheless, advocacy for Better Streets for the Northern Beaches continues. Recently we’ve:
Handed out and dropped pamphlets in support of the Curl Curl - Freshwater cycleway;
Collaborated with local newspapers to get our message out - Better Streets Northern Beaches in the Manly Observer;
Canvassed the residents of Fairlight regarding their travel patterns and unmet travel needs (our next campaign in the works!);
Created a Facebook Page to share news, updates and wins (Give us a follow!);
Attended and ran a booth with Bicycle NSW at Federal MP Zali Steggall and State MP Michael Regan’s Traffic and Transport Forum; and
Provided submissions on Northern Beaches Active Transport Projects such as the Dunbar Park Improvement Concept Plan.
Better Streets Northern Beaches is currently gearing up to formally register as a community group with Northern Beaches Council, which will strengthen our ties and ability to work constructively with the Council .
If you live on Sydney’s Northern Beaches and want to follow or join us on our mission for safer and more active communities, please reach out on Facebook or Betterstreets.NBeaches@hotmail.com, we’d love to have you on board!
