FAQs

The pilot cycling routes will be located in Wollongong's city centre, Port Kembla, Towradgi and Thirroul. 

The 'Documents' section provides a map (PDF version) for each site. You can zoom in to see the features in more detail. 

A map for each site is also included in the survey, as well as below.

Wollongong City Centre - Pilot Cycling Routes

Port Kembla Map - Pilot Cycling Routes

Towradgi map - Pilot Cycling Routes

Thirroul map - Pilot Cycling Routes

Cycleways - a barrier is placed on the road to create a separate lane for cyclists.

Pop-up cycleway on Henderson Road, SydneyPop-up cycleway on Henderson Road, Sydney.Pop-up cycleway on Sydney Park Road. Photos courtesy of City of Sydney Council

Safer on-road cycling - the installation of road marking, speed cushions and signs will help to slow vehicle speeds to around 30km/hour

Speed cushion

Share paths - wide footpaths are marked for cyclists and pedestrians to share.

All three different types of cycling facilities are proposed to be installed as part of this project.

Removal of on-street parking

In Wollongong City Centre, four sections of on-street parking will be removed and replaced with cycleway. These are:

1. north side of Harbour Street between Cliff Road and Smith Street
2. north side of Smith Street between Young and Belmore streets
3. west side of Kembla Street between Smith and Market streets 
4. east side of Kembla Street between Burelli and Stewart streets.

In Port Kembla, on-street parking will be replaced with cycleway on the south side of Miltary Road between Olympic Boulevard and Church Street.  

Changes to traffic conditions

In Wollongong City Centre, changes include:

• Smith Street will become one-way eastbound from Flinders Street to Harbour Street
• Safer on-road cycling will be installed on two city streets. Sections of Stewart Street and Crown Street will have road marking, speed cushions and signs installed to reduce vehicle speed to around 30km/hour.

In Towradgi, vehicle speed on Murranar Road, Carters Land and Weber Crescent will be lowered to around 30km/hour by installing speed cushions, road markings and signs.

In Thirroul, vehicle speed on Station Street, Harbord Street and a section of McCauley Street will be lowered to around 30km/hour by installing speed cushions, road markings and signs.

As the Free Shuttle Bus will no longer travel along Smith Street, Transport for NSW will make some changes to its route. 

Transport for NSW will contact users of the service as part of their consultation process.

Due to Smith Street becoming one-way eastbound from Flinders Street to Harbour Street and the installation of the cycleway, the collection of bins on the south side of the street will require some planning to ensure the service continues with minimal disturbance to residents.

Wollongong City Council and Remondis are currently determining the best method for bin collection on Smith Street. Any residents likely to be impacted will be informed.

This project will provide a platform to pilot several ‘quick win’ cycling connection types. It will also help inform our plans for building future cycling connections across the City. 

The 8km of new cycleway links proposed under this project differ from Council’s past approach of investing in cycleways that are mostly off-road. While this off-road cycling infrastructure is effective, it comes at a much greater cost per kilometre and is unable to be installed rapidly across the City. 

An evaluation of all routes will occur throughout the pilot until 2022 to see if any changes are required. This will also inform how we can improve and build new ones in the future.

There are a few reasons we’re doing this now. The community told us what they wanted through community engagement on the Cycling Strategy (2019), Wollongong City Centre Access and Movement for People project (2020) and Wollongong City Centre Planning Review (2020). You have asked for: 

• A people-orientated, sustainable and liveable city with active transport I.e. walking and cycling   
• Dedicated cycling infrastructure, separated from high numbers of pedestrians and cars 
• Better connectivity, particularly between the existing and new cycling routes 
• Improved access to our town centres, particularly around and through Wollongong City Centre 
• Enhanced planning for and integration of cycling into developments and other transport modes 
• Shared path and road user behaviour campaigns, signage and line marking

COVID-19 has meant that more people are cycling to work and for pleasure, so there is more demand. This is expected to increase over summer.

Better connectivity between the Grand Pacific Walk / coast, train stations, Wollongong City Centre and towns is expected to support city activation projects post COVID-19. 

This project has received NSW Government funding from the TfNSW Fast Tracked Roadside Public Spaces Program. The funding conditions require us to build the cycleways in 2020.

The draft Wollongong Cycling Strategy 2030 outlines our Vision for cycling as well as our five priority areas and actions for making Wollongong a bike'-friendly city. It sits among several transport and strategic documents that guide the future of the City of Wollongong. It aligns with Our Wollongong 2028 Community Strategic Plan, which aims to create a more connected and sustainable future. 

The pilot cycling routes detailed in this project are also included the draft Wollongong Cycling Strategy 2030 as routes that would be investigated in the next 4 years. The draft Wollongong Cycling Strategy 2030 is on public exhibition and open for feedback until 17 August 2020.

We'll post an update on this site in mid-September 2020 about the feedback we've received and what's going to be happening.   

Those residents on Smith Street that are most directly impacted will also be notified via mail in September 2020.

Complete the online survey. Phone or email us if you would prefer to complete a paper survey. We’ll post one out to you with a reply-paid envelope.

We want to hear from people who may be affected by these changes with your ideas about how we could reduce those impacts.

You can also share your feedback via email engagement@wollongong.nsw.gov.au or phone (02) 4227 7111.

At the end of the engagement period all feedback is read and considered by the project team. It will inform the final planning for the project.   

During the evaluation in 2022, all those who provided feedback will be contacted and invited to participate in the evaluation.

Transport for NSW will consider feedback about the proposed Shuttle Bus route changes as part of their planning for this project.