A bikeway connecting Kangaroo Point through to Mowbray Park in East Brisbane has seemed like a mirage for a decade now, so we’re very relieved to learn that construction funding will be announced in Brisbane City Council’s budget for 2026-27 along with funding from the Queensland Government.

As Belinda says in this Brisbane Times article: “We’ve had lots of announcements of things in the past, but what counts is when they start building it … We just want it to happen.”

Preliminary designs have been published today. Given how narrow and constrained the corridor is, we think the design is excellent. There are a few limitations which wouldn’t be there in an ideal world (hey, we’d rather be on a dedicated cycle path around the river!), but this route will be a massive improvement over the current situation.

What we love:

Finally, a raised zebra crossing over Deakin St, near Ferry St (near the entrance to the original underpass and east-side shared path of the Story Bridge).

(Mostly) Separated space with clear markings for bike/scooter traffic and dedicated space for people walking along Shafston Ave.

Improved safety at Cairns St where the 2 slip lanes will be removed. That immediately removes 2 danger zones where people walking and riding are endangered by drivers who turn at quite high speeds and too often don’t even notice or acknowledge they are supposed to give way.

Removing the left-turn for motor vehicles from Shaftson Ave into O’Connell St will mean the interval for people walking and riding can remain for the full phase while motor traffic on Shafston Ave have a green light. (Currently, there’s a beg-button and a long wait for path users so motor traffic is not delayed by someone waiting to turn into O’Connell St).

Setting back the path at Castelbar St so that drivers exiting from there onto Shafston Ave have room to give way, then move forward and wait for a gap in traffic without blocking pedestrians and cyclists.

A much safer crossing at the mouth of Thorn St, with a deceleration lane and waiting space for drivers turning left from Shafston Ave to give way to people walking and riding across a new raised crossing there.

Simplifying the Wellington St intersection so active transport users no longer have to wait multiple light cycles and don’t have to crowd onto the tiny corner island as they do now. (It’s frustrating that wasn’t addressed properly when that intersection was reconfigured quite recently!).

Shifting bus stop 11 at Salston St where the advertising screen has created a dangerous obstruction with zero visibility for path users. (About time!!!)

A proper raised priority crossing at Park Ave – as both East BUG and Brisbane CBD BUG advocated for back in 2014.

What’s less than ideal:

• That it has taken so long! (Final designs were supposed to be available in late 2025, but now this has shifted to late 2026, but hopefully there won’t be any further delays with construction, and this will be completed only a decade after Lytton Rd was most recently widened to 6 lanes for motor vehicle traffic).
• There will still be sections of shared path either side of the Cairns St intersection. That’s likely due to the presence of mature trees (and roots) and services, together with the fall of the land, but it’s still a bit disappointing for a principal cycle route – especially given the state government’s absurd new rules restricting legal pedal-assist e-bikes.

• How many times the footpath and bike path swap weave across each other. Unfortunately, with limited space, there’s enough space for pedestrian access to the bus stop, plus the bikeway, PLUS another continuous footpath. Not ideal, but still very much better than the current situation.
• Removing the existing counter-flow bikelane between Castelbar St and Thorn St which will make life trickier for those confident road cyclists who would prefer to continue riding through the back-streets heading east.
• Removing the seat and shelter at bus stop 7/10 near Connor St. Of course the best antidote to that is more regular buses so people barely need to wait.
• Removal of a significant number of trees. We appreciate that the designers have worked hard to minimise the impact and to plant replacement trees wherever possible, but any loss of existing shade in Brisbane is significant.

What we wish was also in scope:

• Improving the pedestrian crossing over Shafston Ave at O’Connell St so it didn’t involve negotiating a set of stairs or a long ramp, and people could comfortably get across the road in a single light cycle.
• A crossing on the eastern side of the Shafston Ave/Wellington Rd intersection (or at Park Ave) so people could get to public transport, Mowbray Park, and the local shops and services without having to wait through multiple light cycles or dash across multiple lanes of traffic.
• Proper separated paths for people walking and riding to/from Park Ave from/to the Heidelberg St crossing (as also recommended in the Lytton Rd widening project).

Where to find more information:

You can read more on the background to this project, and see the Preliminary Designs on Council’s web site