A bike project more than two decades in the making took an important step forward when the NSW Heritage Council approved designs for the Sydney Harbour Bridge cycleway.
The project was conceived as solution to a troublesome bottleneck in Sydney's metro bike network - the 55 steps riders need to climb on foot to reach the city's iconic bridge.
More than 2000 riders make daily trips across the bridge and it serves as a key connection between the CBD and Sydney's northern suburbs.
But the steps are a roadblock for children, people with prams or disabilities, elderly adults and would-be riders unable to make the ascent.
Bicycle Network has actively campaigned for decades for a ramp to be built at the northern end of the bridge to relieve this source of frustration for Sydney bike riders.
In April 2022, Transport for NSW announced the winner of a competition to design the long-awaited cycleway. The design included a smooth, linear ramp, which will take riders from the northern end of the bridge to Bradfield Park and preserve the bridge's scenic views.
Opponents of the design met were concerned the ramp would impact the heritage and aesthetics of the iconic bridge, and compromise the adjacent Bradfield Park.
These concerns have been addressed. The NSW Heritage Council approved the Sydney Harbour Bridge Northern Cycleway at a meeting on 7 June, clearing the way for investigative works to begin.
As the project moves towards construction, the Heritage Council will need to approve paving and landscaping details. An alternative lighting solution will need to be found for three light poles included in the design.
Transport for NSW will begin work on environmental approvals for the project, which is expected to take up to 18 months.