Sydney was quick to announce and implement pop-up bike lanes as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and now Lord Mayor Clover Moore wants more.
Following the lead of many other major cities around the world, Sydney was the first in Australia to promise and deliver on pop-up bike lanes — giving the increasing number of riders safer places to move freely, and taking the strain off the transport network as restrictions begin to ease.
The first three of the six pop-up bike lanes announced in May were under construction quickly using simple pop-up infrastructure and completed within a matter of weeks.
The first of 6 new pop-up cycleways have opened along Sydney Park Road & Henderson Road. The new lanes make it easy for more people to get around by bike & free up space on public transport. Our cycling map has more info on lane locations https://t.co/eluRRFzlqR #sydneycycleways pic.twitter.com/UXocTHa5BV
— City of Sydney (@cityofsydney) July 9, 2020
Now, as construction continues on the remaining lanes and Sydney starts to discover their "new normal" in the wake of the lockdown, Lord Mayor Clover Moore has identified a number of new paths and connections that the city will prioritise, as well as opportunities to improve city streetscapes for pedestrians.
"It underscores how important our investment in widened footpaths and separated cycleways will be in helping prevent the disease from spreading. As people return to work in the city, with space on public transport limited, active transport will be crucial," Cr Moore said in her post.
Click on the screenshot below to see the full post.
And it seems other major cities are following their lead, with a number of new pop-up lane proposals in Brunswick and Pascoe Vale unanimously supported by Moreland City Councillors this week.