Regional Western Australia's first safe active street has been completed, improving safety and bike network connectivity for the Geraldton community.
The $1.73 million project stretches 1.4 km along Railway Street in Bluff Point, from Smith Street to Green Street and connects to popular community facilities, including Spalding Park Reserve, St Lawrence Primary School and the Geraldton Commercial Centre.
Improvements include a reduced speed limit and the introduction of raised plateaus to slow vehicles down.
In addition to providing a safe alternative route to busy thoroughfares like North West Coastal Highway and Chapman Road, a 500 metre 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 8.3 kilometres of high-quality path and the highly anticipated Sunset Drive to Drummond Cove Shared Path become a reality.
As stated by Transport Minister Rita Saffioti:
"This initiative is providing safer riding and walking routes for communities, and I am thrilled that Geraldton is the first location in regional WA to feature a safe active street.
"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 8.3 kilometres of high-quality shared paths for riding and walking."
As stated by Geraldton MLA Lara Dalton:
"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.
"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."
