Riders now have a great new reliable connection to the EastLink Trail through Wantirna South.
A new off-road link adjacent to the Burwood Highway from Morack Road has opened and as a result riders no longer need to use the slippery—often closed—boardwalk through the wetlands.
The 800 metre section required a new 45-metre-long bridge over the Dandenong Creek, hence the $5.7 million cost.
The 3m wide concrete path provides a safer connection to the popular Eastlink and Dandenong Creek Trails and links to the existing shared-use path along Burwood Highway towards Knox Shopping Centre.
It connects directly to the existing shared use path along Burwood Highway towards Westfield Knox, and is a major link for other Melbourne cycling corridors, including the off-road Carrum to Warburton Trail.
The project is part of the Government's $100 million Safer Cycling and Pedestrian Program, which aims to improve safety for cyclists and pedestrians and encourage more active modes of transport.
The Minister for Roads and Road Safety Ben Carroll said: "We are making it safer and more accessible for cyclists and pedestrians to travel between Vermont South and Wantirna South, with this new path offering a better connection to popular trails and local amenities.”
"The delivery of this shared user path comes in time for the warmer months and is an important link for the community.”
While 12 trees had to be removed to build the trail, 57 new trees and more than 4000 groundcover plants were planted as part of the project.