The Greater Bunbury bicycle master plan working group have got their eyes on the busy Bussell Highway.
The group responsible for getting a shared path built along Parade Road have set the wheels in motion for a shared path to be built near the western side of the highway, with funding secured from stage one of the project.
A total of $222,500 from the department of transport, $175,000 from the City of Bunbury and $47,000 from the Shire of Capel will see the first phase of the proposed path constructed.
The first stage of the project will complete a 1.6 kilometre link from Washington Avenue to just south of Centenary Road.
Department of transport policy, planning and investment managing director Graeme Doyle said the investment into WA’s regional cycling network would provide significant benefits for both tourists and residents in the area.
“This project will help ensure local infrastructure meets the needs of the state’s growing cycling community and is another example of how the department is working with local governments to provide all Western Australians a choice of commuting and recreational cycling options,” he said.
Greater Bunbury bicycle master plan working group chairman Peter Eckersley said the funding made it possible for the group’s number one priority project to take a step closer to fruition.
“The funding enables the City of Bunbury and Shire of Capel to develop one more section of shared path towards closing this gap in the regional network,” he said.
“By using bikes to meet most of our transport needs within 10 to 20 kilometres of home, we can improve our health, reduce our use of fossil fuels, save money, exchange greetings with others during our journey, and arrive at our destination in a better frame of mind.”
The Bussell Highway shared path is one of a number identified in the Greater Bunbury regional bicycle master plan, which was created in 2012 to guide the development of cycle infrastructure in the region.
The master plan is the result of an initiative by the South West Development Commission and has been endorsed by the City of Bunbury and the Capel, Dardanup and Harvey shires.
“It’s terrific to see organisations coming together to make Greater Bunbury more cycle-friendly through the development of a safe and convenient cycle route network,” SWDC acting chief executive Anna Oades said.
The Greater Bunbury regional bicycle master plan can be downloaded from swdc.wa.gov.au.
