Cyclists are stuck riding on dangerous truck-laden roads in Melbourne’s inner west despite new bike infrastructure being built months ago as part of the West Gate Tunnel project.
More than 14 kilometres of new and upgraded bike paths are being delivered as part of the $10.1 billion tunnel project, which is set to wrap up by the end of this year.
Pierre Vairo at the Dynon Road “rainbow bridge” in West Melbourne. Credit: Penny Stephens
Construction of some of the paths, including the 2.5-kilometre “veloway” between Footscray and Docklands, is ongoing, but key bridges have appeared largely completed since last year – yet remain fenced off.
Those that appear complete, with workers not sighted for months, include a crossing that runs above train tracks next to Dynon Road in West Melbourne and a green bridge curving over Footscray Road in Docklands.
The bridges are distinct pieces of infrastructure that connect to established, open bike paths rather than directly to the veloway.
Critics, including the cyclist advocacy group BikeWest, accuse the state government of “playing politics” by delaying the opening of infrastructure that is vital for public safety.
“It’s preventing people from getting on their bikes and putting those who are still riding at much greater risk ... just because it suits them for when they want to do a launch,” said president John Symons.
“It’s a shocking failure of doing what’s best for the community.”
Symons said the Dynon Road bridge, which has been nicknamed “rainbow bridge” due to its multicoloured panelling, was a crucial crossing that would enable cyclists to stop using dangerous roads and doing large detours.
The green bridge over Footscray Road, Docklands.Credit: Penny Stephens
The green bridge would cut about five minutes from cyclists’ journeys to and from the city, he said.
BikeWest vice-president Pierre Vairo said that bridge would also bypass several pedestrian crossings, reducing the time cyclists had to share roads with cars and trucks.
“Every time that you have cyclists and trucks interacting at a level, it’s inherently unsafe,” he said.
The state government recently published a video promoting the green bridge, confusing some cyclists who thought it must be open.
Construction for the West Gate Tunnel project – a partnership between the Victorian government and toll-road giant Transurban – has wreaked havoc on the west’s transport network for three years longer than originally planned, while the cost has blown out to almost double the initial $5.5 billion budget.
Several riders have been killed – including 22-year-old cyclist Angus Collins in 2023 – or seriously injured on roads affected by the tunnel construction.
Symons said that if the government was serious about protecting lives, safe cycling infrastructure would be opened as quickly as possible.
“It’s deeply frustrating. A PR opportunity shouldn’t be more important than preventing someone from dying,” he said.
Vairo said cyclists were fed up with waiting for the fences to come down. A protest will take place on February 28 at the rainbow bridge.
“The west has suffered through train cancellations and traffic delays for years because of West Gate Tunnel,” Vairo said.
“If the government has the opportunity to give us some of the benefits of this project, they should be doing so as soon as possible and not waiting on a politically convenient date.”
A government spokesman said that while some bridges looked complete, some finishing work still needed to occur such as installing lights and other safety measures.
The spokesman also said some paths at ground level needed further work. Launch dates are not yet confirmed.
An image from footage of the first drive through the West Gate Tunnel Project.
“We know local communities are excited to explore the more than 14 kilometres of walking and cycling paths being delivered as part of the project, and with five new sections already open, we will continue to open connections when it is safe to do so,” he said.
Two bridges that cross Moonee Ponds Creek are among the sections that have been opened.
In August last year, Western Metropolitan MP David Ettershank, of the Legalise Cannabis party, questioned Transport Infrastructure Minister Danny Pearson in parliament about why the newly built “rainbow bridge” remained closed.
The Dynon Road “rainbow bridge” in West Melbourne sits idle. Credit: Penny Stephens
“Cyclists have been told that this is due to contractual issues around graffiti and maintenance,” Ettershank told the upper house.
Pearson issued a written response in October: “We are working with the parties involved in delivering the West Gate Tunnel project to have parts of the new and upgraded walking and cycling paths opened as soon as possible.”
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