The Western Australian Government has announced the completion of a $1.73 million initiative to improve the safety and connectivity of regional streets for riders, walkers and drivers.
The Safe Active Street project is one of many initiatives being delivered through the Western Australian Government’s $347 million investment in walking and riding infrastructure over the next four years.
It involved an upgrade of 1.4km of road stretching from Railway Street in Bluff Point, to Smith Street and through to Green Street, and connects to popular community facilities, including Spalding Park Reserve, St Lawrence Primary School and the Geraldton Commercial Centre.
Western Australia’s Transport Minister, Rita Saffioti, said the upgrades included a reduction of the speed limit and the introduction of raised plateaus to slow vehicles down.
“This initiative is providing safer riding and walking routes for communities, and I am thrilled that Geraldton is the first location in regional Western Australia to feature a safe active street,” Ms Saffioti said.
“The Railway Street safe active street offers an active transport route from areas where people live to nearby parks, schools and businesses, and links to some of the area’s best natural landscapes forming an important recreational asset for the local community.
“Over the next two years we will be transforming the Geraldton cycling network by constructing an additional 8.3km of high-quality shared paths for riding and walking.”
Member for Geraldton, Lara Dalton, said the Safe Active Street initiative will revolutionise rider and walker safety in the region.
“It’s fantastic to see the completion of this project, and for Geraldton to become the first regional location to welcome a safe active street in Western Australia,” Ms Dalton said.
“The positive changes will make this a safer place for cyclists and pedestrians, and provide a new connection to the Chapman River Regional Park, which is a popular destination for families in Geraldton.”
In addition to providing a safe alternative route to busy thoroughfares like the North West Coastal Highway and Chapman Road, a 500m shared path has also been installed to connect the Safe Active Street to the existing path network within Chapman River Regional Park, facilitating recreational opportunities for families, residents and visitors.
The project complements the $4.24 million Geraldton Cycling Network Expansion project, which will see construction of an additional 8.3km of high-quality path and the highly anticipated Sunset Drive to Drummond Cove Shared Path become a reality.
