$27 million bike lanes

St Kilda Rd will be the beneficiary of new $27 million separated bike lanes thanks to the Andrews Labor Government.

The huge funding boost allocated in this year’s state budget will see a combination of new central safety zone bike lanes and Copenhagen-style kerbside bike lanes, with construction due to start this year.

The central safety zone will see the two middle lanes of St Kilda Rd from the National Gallery of Victoria (NGV) to the St Kilda Junction replaced with a dedicated bike lane with a protective barrier.

Copenhagen-style bike lanes will also be built south of St Kilda Junction from Carlisle St.

“St Kilda Rd is Melbourne’s busiest tram route and one of Melbourne’s busiest bike routes – that’s why these safety upgrades are so vital to separate cyclists from other traffic,” Minister for Roads and Road Safety Jaala Pulford said.

“We’ve carefully planned this new upgrade with all road users in mind – safely separating bikes and traffic for good while having the least impact of travel times for drivers.”

The City of Port Phillip had raised concerns back in 2017 when the proposed changes were originally flagged by the state government. Cr Katherine Copsey had said at the time that the transition from central cycling lanes to regular kerbside Copenhagen lanes at the St Kilda Junction presented safety concerns for cyclists.

However, Mayor Dick Gross said it welcomed the funding and that council looked forward to working with the state government on finalising the design.

“Council sought these commitments in the lead-up to the State election, so we are delighted this important project has been funded in the Victorian Budget 2019/20,” Cr Gross said.

“St Kilda Rd is an important arterial for cyclists and council welcomes funding that will dramatically increase usage.”

“Council looks forward to working with the Victorian Government in finalising the design of the new bike lanes on St Kilda Rd to maximise the design outcomes and ensure the safety of cyclists.”