City in Motion: Construction Updates for Cyclists

28 February 2025

There will be a lot of building and roadworks going on in the City for a while and we expect things to be changing all the time. Pedal Power plans to put out an update every 2 weeks on how these works will affect bike riders as they ride through the City. We will use links to Google Maps to show places throughout. ACT Infrastructure will have the opportunity to check the facts are correct, but otherwise opinions and ideas will come from Pedal Power and its wonderful members.

The Light Rail and Raising London Circuit jobs are now going full steam ahead, with lots of fences in place and holes being dug.

London Circuit West-side is effectively shut. Bikes can get around the outside of London Circuit west, but south of Hobart Place you will need to walk or ride at a slow walking pace because all the pedestrians are busy talking with their phones...

You will be able to ride south if you

• Move outwards from the City to Marcus Clarke Street and follow the cycle route to the bridge that still goes over Parkes Way.

• Follow these signs (there are lots of them) that will take you to one of several crossings over the road works. You can return along the same route or ride south behind the police station to Edinburgh Ave and continue south.

There are at least three routes available through the building site to the Police Station, and they have stuck up loads of these signs: thanks Police! 

North-south transit by road is open both ways. You can ride between Northbourne Avenue and Commonwealth Avenue Bridge.

• Southbound, the bike lane around this corner is not protected from car traffic and there is only one car lane (as of 26 February), so be especially aware if you are riding along there during peak hours.

• Northbound, is easier. From here, there is a very well protected cycle route all the way to the junction with Edinburgh Avenue. The wayfinding signage is frequently moved around but stay to the left of the concrete jersey barriers and you’ll be fine. Be especially aware as you cross this slip road during peak hours. Traffic north of Edinburgh Avenue is calmer, and if you use this ramp to hop up onto the pavement, you will be able to ride behind the road closure barriers to cross London Circuit without having to stop at the lights (with a little wiggling).

North-south transit off-road.

Unless you need to get to the city centre, it’s still easier and faster to us one of the pedestrian footbridges, east and west, to connect between Commonwealth Avenue Bridge and the inner sides of the City. To find the west bridge, follow this path alongside the recently completed huge earthworks beside the lake. The east bridge is also easy to find but follow these ‘PEDESTRAINS’ signs from the controlled pedestrian crossing here and you will soon reach the bridge. Look ahead and you will see the signs which are are tall, with a distinctive shape.

What’s happening soon?

London Circuit east will be closed between Northbourne Avenue and Theatre Lane.

How to get past it? We think it will be easier to ride up to City Walk via Petrie Plaza (on the west side), or Ainslie Place. The footpath on the outside of London Circuit is nice and wide in this locality for getting around. There are many options for making a route through from there, however Garema Place is chock-full of fences and road works. If you plan to cross Garema Place to get to Lonsdale Street, the direct route will be tighter and slower than any of the other route at the moment.

Also, the centre median strip and the right hand lane in both directions will be fenced off between London Circuit and Alinga Street for the space to be cleared in preparation for laying rail. We think you will still be able to ride across Northbourne Avenue at Alinga Street and at London Circuit – for the moment – but at some stage the junctions will need to be closed as rails are laid into them. We will keep you posted when we find out about further closures.  

Can you help? Road and route closures and traffic congestion will change often. If you see anything that you think should be mentioned here, please call or email Pedal Power (communications@pedalpower.org.au) and help us to keep this regular bulletin up to date. Thank you!