Next time you hop on a bike, you might make use of one of the new projects put forward by a regional council. Photo: Michelle Kroll.
Queanbeyan Council has flagged dozens of bike paths, footpaths and shared road spaces it wants to drive ahead, but there’s no word on a delivery timeline for the projects.
Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional Council (QPRC) has been reviewing its Bicycle and Pedestrian Facilities Plan.
Adopted in 2020, its implementation was under the microscope as the council carried out a formal review across several months in 2025.
A final report was presented to councillors at a recent meeting, putting forward suggested projects for them to prioritise.
It has examined the existing infrastructure across Braidwood, Bungendore and Queanbeyan, and has ranked proposals for new infrastructure for each of the towns.
Each of the projects was given a score, which considered factors such as their cost, people’s rating of their importance, their traffic impact, land use and value for money.
“The framework ensures that project prioritisation reflects both community expectations and technical needs, providing a transparent, evidence-based method to guide future funding decisions and implementation,” the document states.
On-road cycling markings along Coghill Street (between Recreation Ground and Monkittee Street) topped the list for Braidwood, while Bungendore’s came in as similar markings from Lamer Street along Eyre Street.
Queanbeyan’s top project was an on-road mixed traffic use path along Lerra Street (between Numeralia Drive and a future shared path).
Other projects included on the priority list include a refuge island on McKellar Street in Braidwood, a footpath from Bungendore’s Day Circuit to Ashby Drive, an on-road dedicated cycleway along Yass Road and Ellerton Drive in Queanbeyan and a footpath around Braidwood Recreation Ground.
The list also features a shared path along several roads near the Queanbeyan Aquatic Centre, a shared path on Molonglo Street (near the Mitre 10 in Bungendore), a shared user path at Mick Sherd Oval and an on-road mixed traffic use pathway along part of Telopea Place in Queanbeyan.
During the meeting, Cr Katrina Willis sought more information on the council’s commitment to prioritised projects, given that several projects raised during the community consultation process fell outside the study’s scope.
“I just wondered, why not incorporate the future projects (which people had identified) into the current plan, rather than put them in a separate document?
“It all needs funding at the end of the day.”
In response, a council staff member said those items would be developed under further programs, pointing to an example of the suggested bus shelters for Araluen.
“This [document] covers pedestrians and cycling – bus stops and that [other projects] are outside it … We should expect to see that as provisions or options in the next operational plan for consideration.”
The study ranked infrastructure projects expected to improve safety and mobility for pedestrians and cyclists. Photo: Michelle Kroll.
Cr Willis also sought advice from staff about vehicle barriers, saying the submissions to the policy review included people having issues passing vehicle barriers near parts of the Queanbeyan River.
“There were quite a few comments from people saying they can’t get their prams, their scooters, their e-bikes [through] – including people trying to cycle to work – along sections of the Queanbeyan River,” she said.
A staff member invited the public to submit any specific issues they faced with the council.
Councillor Ross Macdonald called on his fellow councillors to renew their efforts to install safe crossing zones in Bungendore near the Kings Highway.
“It’s probably time to pursue that again.”
He also said there should be further input into the plan, suggesting people with a disability, elderly residents and small businesses be able to contribute as projects progressed.
Council documents note that preparing the revised implementation plan has been included in the 2025/26 budget, but QPRC would need to seek further funding to move ahead with the works.
The report lists estimated costs for the various projects that range from $2600 to $1,128,000, while about $28.5 million of engineering works would be needed for the projects to go ahead.
