InfrastructureAwards
The Hall of Fame: Sydney’s Best New Cycle Infrastructure (2025–2018)
This structured post chronicles the top bicycle infrastructure improvements in Sydney from 2025 back to 2018. To qualify for these awards, a project must demonstrate increased usage, provide a safe and fun riding experience, and enhance connectivity within the existing network.
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2025: The Year of World-Class Connectivity
1st Place – The Greenway The 2025 winner is a 4km track connecting Iron Cove to the Cooks River. This project is hailed as a “world-class” path that allows cyclists to travel from one side of the city to the other while barely needing to cross a road.
Equal 2nd Place – Muddy Creek (Barton Park to Monterey) Running above the M6 motorway tunnels, this shared path features fabulous red bridges and represents some of the best waterway constructions in Sydney.
Equal 2nd Place – City Separated Cycleway Expansion The final podium spot belongs to the expansion of the city’s separated cycleways along Oxford St West and Liverpool St and the northern end of College St, providing vital links within the urban network.
Other projects worthy of mention: Mary Ann Street, Neutral Bay Shops, Cup and Saucer Park, Milson Park- Westmead, Sydenham Station to Sydney Park, Prospect Highway, Waterloo Rd, Macquarie Park, The Crescent Homebush, Voyager Point to Holsworthy
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2024: A Spectacular Tie at the Top
1st Place (Joint Winner) – Sydney Airport Cycleway A major part of the Sydney Gateway project, this route features a large pedestrian bridge across the Alexandra Canal and provides a traffic-free connection from Tempe Park to the Domestic Terminal.
1st Place (Joint Winner) – Castlereagh Street Transformation This “world-class city-cycleway” connects Circular Quay to Central Station. It includes state-of-the-art hook turns to join other city streets and has transformed a car-centric road into a vibrant, green corridor.
2nd Place – Cooks River Upgrades (Canterbury Road Tunnel) This project features a 100-metre-long tunnel under the busy Canterbury Road. It solved a major safety issue by allowing cyclists to bypass high-traffic intersections below sea level.
3rd Place – Toongabbie Creek Bridge and Cycleway Part of the T-Way project, this 25-metre bridge and approach ramps replaced a hazardous crossing of the Cumberland Highway with a simpler, shorter, and quieter route.
And a couple of photos from the airport cycleway
ryone can take great airplane photos
Other projects worthy of mention: Caringbah Cycleway, Muddy Creek Cycleway, Alfred St Cycleway, Shrimptons Creek (Macquarie Uni end).
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2023: Repurposing Rail Corridors
1st Place – Carlingford Rail Trail This 6km wide concrete path follows a former rail line from Carlingford down to the Parramatta River. It provides a smooth ride that passes under busy roads and connects seamlessly with the Parramatta River trail.
2nd Place – Doncaster Avenue and Houston Road Cycleway A 1.6km separated path on a wide street that was previously unpopular due to the risk of “car-dooring”. It includes innovative dual cyclist and walker lanterns.
3rd Place – Rozelle Parklands A massive project featuring a tunnel under Victoria Road and a bridge over City West Link. While connectivity to surrounding suburbs remains a work in progress, the park itself offers high-quality internal paths.
Cyclists on the Carlingford Rail Trail
Other projects worthy of mention: College St Cycleway rejuvenation, Hawthorne Canal bridge upgrade, Cup and Saucer Creek Trail upgrade, Ashmore and Harley (City of Sydney), Meadowbank on the water, Sandringham path widening.
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2022: Transforming the Waterfront
1st Place – Barangaroo This development was recognised for its high-quality cycleways and public parkland, transforming the Sydney waterfront into a premier cycling destination.
2nd Place – Queens Park Cycleway A 1.5km loop around the perimeter of Queens Park, providing a safe recreational space for the Eastern Suburbs.
3rd Place – Bondi Junction Cycleway A $5 million project that created a 1.5km link from the Bondi Junction bus station toward the city, seeing high usage in the commercial hub.
The Barangaroo waterfront cycle path
Other projects worthy of mention: Gadigal Avenue and Crystal St (Waterloo), Rose Bay Cycleway, Pembroke St Bridge (Epping), Railway Avenue (Stanmore), Pacific Highway (St Leonards to Chatswood), Ashmore and Harley (Alexandria), Livingstone Rd Shared path, Wigram St (Parramatta), King St East Cycleway, Broughton St (Canada Bay), South Creek bridge (Narrabeen).
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2021: Bridging the Gaps
1st Place – Parramatta Escarpment Boardwalk A “brilliant piece of architecture,” this 300-metre boardwalk completed a vital off-road link along the Parramatta River, allowing riders to bypass busy road crossings and ferry terminals.
2nd Place – The Northern Road Shared Path Adding 24km of high-quality concrete cycleway in 2021, this project created an unbroken link from Kingswood to Narellan.
3rd Place – Paths around Central Station This project completed the final 40 metres of a continuous trail from Prince Alfred Park to Belmore Park, navigating one of the busiest pedestrian zones in the city
Central Station
Other projects worthy of mention: Bedwin Rd bridge cycleway, High St Popup, Pittwater Rd shared path, Saunders St and Miller St (Pyrmont).
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2020: Innovation During the Pandemic
1st Place – Bare Creek Mountain Bike Park (Belrose) A “total standout,” this colossal mountain bike facility was awarded for its immense popularity with both children and adults, offering world-class trails on the North Shore.
2nd Place – Lachlan’s Line Bridge (Macquarie Park) A landmark architectural bridge over the M2 Expressway and Delhi Road, connecting North Ryde Metro Station to Macquarie Park.
3rd Place – Henderson Road Popup The best of the “popup” cycleways rolled out during COVID-19, this project used plastic cones and concrete dividers to quickly create a safe route from Erskineville to Redfern.
Other projects worthy of mention: M5 Dual Cycleway (Bexley to King Georges Rd), Bridge over Memorial Avenue (Kellyville), Sutherland Station to Princess Highway, Warringah Rd (Frenchs Forest), New Cooks River Bridge - Earlwood, Campbell Rd cycleway.
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2019: Infrastructure Support for Rail
1st Place – Sydney Metro Line & Schofields Road This award recognised the 11km trail following the Metro Northwest line from Bella Vista to Rouse Hill, combined with new shared paths on Schofields Road.
2nd Place – NSW University to Centennial Park A 2.2km trail that replaced a “drab old track” with a scenic path crossing the edge of Kensington Pond.
3rd Place – Wilson Street, Redfern Upgrade A 1.2km upgrade that moved car parking to create a safe, winding bitumen path through existing trees, making it safe enough for children to ride.
There are so many great paths out in the North West of Sydney
Other projects worthy of mention: St Leonards Park to Cremorne.
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2018: The Inaugural Winner
1st Place – Woolooware Coastal Track The inaugural winner transformed a difficult 2km stretch through industrial warehouses into a beautiful coastal path from Taren Point toward Cronulla.
2nd Place – Yandhai Nepean Crossing (Emu Plains) A dedicated pedestrian and cyclist bridge that replaced the “nightmare” of crossing the old Victoria Bridge, creating the Nepean River 8km recreational loop.
3rd Place – Powells Creek Refurbishment Recognised for turning an “eyesore” concrete canal into a vibrant environment for wildlife and humans, significantly improving the local riding experience.
[Insert Image: Families riding the Woolooware Coastal Track]
Other projects worthy of mention: Nepean River 8km loop.
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Building a cycle network is like stitching together a quilt; each new trail is a patch that only gains its full value when it connects to the others, eventually creating a warm, protective layer for the whole city