Decades of campaigning have finally paid off for Sydney's cycling community with the official opening of a sleek new ramp on the iconic Sydney Harbour Bridge. The £20 million (A$39m) structure, which opened to the public on Tuesday, replaces a burdensome 55-step staircase that had long been a major barrier for many wishing to cross the harbour on two wheels.
A Seamless Journey for All Abilities
The new ramp rises gracefully from Bradfield Park in Milsons Point, connecting seamlessly to the dedicated bike path on the bridge's west side. This crucial piece of infrastructure now provides a continuous, step-free route from North Sydney directly into the Central Business District (CBD).
The upgrade is a game-changer for accessibility, specifically designed to unlock the bridge path for a much wider range of users. It now comfortably accommodates heavy e-bikes, bicycles with trailers, older riders, and families who previously found the steep staircase impossible to navigate.
Tony Stanley, a local resident from Crows Nest, exemplified the ramp's impact. For years, he was unable to bring his wife and five-year-old daughter on bridge crossings due to their e-bike and trailer's weight. On the opening day, his daughter triumphantly rode her own tinsel-decorated bike across the harbour for the first time. "She was able to ride over the harbour bridge all by herself today – it's just fantastic," Stanley said. "It opens up where you can travel to now."
Overcoming Decades of Delay
The path to this moment has been remarkably long and fraught. Initial plans for a ramp were first drawn up as far back as 1999. Over the subsequent years, designs were repeatedly shelved and revived, often meeting with local opposition from some Milsons Point residents concerned about the loss of green space.
Campaigner Russ Webber had fought for the ramp since 2000 but lost his ability to cycle before construction was finally approved in 2023. Undeterred, he celebrated the victory by crossing the bridge in a trishaw pedalled by a volunteer from the Cycling Without Age charity. "This ramp will be a terrific thing," Webber stated, savouring the hard-won result.
New South Wales Transport Minister, John Graham, hailed the "long-overdue" project, predicting it would attract more traffic to the cycleway, which already sees about 1,500 trips daily according to recent data.
Linking a Growing Active Travel Network
The new ramp is more than just a bridge access point; it's a vital link in Sydney's expanding network of cycleways. It connects to the recently completed GreenWay path, creating a nearly continuous car-free corridor.
Cyclists can now enjoy a largely uninterrupted route from North Sydney, through the CBD, across the Anzac Bridge, and down to the Cooks River, with further links to suburbs like Brighton-le-Sands and Olympic Park. Another path along Oxford Street will eventually connect riders to Bondi Junction.
For daily commuters like Stuart Lobb, who has travelled the route for 24 years, the improvement is profound. "It all flows nicely. It's the best way to get to work: the bridge, the water, the ferries; it's amazing," he remarked, looking forward to more people joining him on his journey.
Jullietta Jung, President of the Better Streets advocacy group, believes the successful opening builds momentum for more cycling infrastructure. "The more you see that cycling can be beautiful and it can contribute to the landscape … it's definitely increasing momentum," she said. "It's all these missing links that we're slowly getting to build up … for all ages and abilities to be able to ride safely in our cities."
