Through the latest round of the State Bicycle Fund , councils have received grants of up to $200,000 to construct new paths, safer crossings and planning work that will improve walking and cycling connections in their communities.
Projects will be delivered this financial year and span the state from Streaky Bay on the Eyre Peninsula to Middleton on the Fleurieu Peninsula, with a focus on making active travel safer, more accessible and better connected.
In metropolitan Adelaide, nine councils will receive funding to build more than 2km of shared-use paths, install four wombat crossings, build a new pedestrian-actuated crossing and upgrade safety measures at a busy CBD intersection.
The regions will also benefit, with five councils funded to deliver new cycling infrastructure, including:
- 400m of path on the Encounter Bikeway
- 700m of path on Marina Drive in Port Lincoln
- 260m of path along Montgomerie Terrace in Streaky Bay.
The Barossa Council has also secured funding to continue the expansion of the Amy Gillett Bikeway, with a further 3km of trail planned between Birdwood and Mount Pleasant.
BikeSA President Nathan Petrus welcomed the investment across metropolitan and regjonal South Australia.
"More than two-thirds of respondents to BikeSA's recent advocacy survey identified a lack of safe infrastructure as a barrier to cycling," Mr Petrus said.
"These projects will help address that concern for people riding to work or enjoying a ride with their families."
The latest funding round forms part of a wider state investment in active transport infrastructure.
Major projects already underway include the Torrens to Darlington Project (T2D) , which will deliver more than 22km of new and upgraded shared-use paths alongside a non-stop South Road corridor. The project will also include five shared-use bridges and improved connections to public transport.
The Tram Grade Separations Project has also contributed to cycling connectivity, with new elevated sections of the Mike Turtur Bikeway opening recently to strengthen links between Adelaide and Glenelg.
Other state initiatives aimed at encouraging active travel include the Better Access to Public Transport program, the Greenway and Cycle Paths program, the Way2Go infrastructure program for school communities, and a $37 million package of pedestrian and cycling safety improvements funded through the National Road Safety Program.
