Council has unveiled plans for $10.5 million worth of bike paths throughout Wagga.
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At Monday night’s council meeting, a snippet of the months-overdue $240,000 Integrated Transport Strategy detailed plans to help residents start cycling to work.
Latest figures reveal 80 per cent of Wagga residents drive to work, but 70 per cent would ride their bike instead if it weren’t so dangerous contending with cars and trucks.
Other reasons would-be cyclists drive to work include treacherous path surfaces and nowhere to leave bikes during the day.
In response, five “preferred routes” totalling 45 kilometres have been identified, branching out in different directions from the city to Forest Hill, Kapooka Army Base, Bourkelands, Charles Sturt University and Lake Albert.
Three bike storage sheds complete with showers and protected by CCTV have been earmarked for the health precinct, Bolton Park and the Civic Centre.
Councillors unanimously endorsed the bike path plan, provided the state government covers the entire $10,458,000 construction bill as part of its “Cycling Towns Program”.
The popularity of cycling is undeniable, as the number of bikes sold in Wagga rose by 17 per cent between 2007 and 2013 to total more than 2,900 a year.
Councillor Rod Kendall said Wagga was small enough that riding to work was a viable option for most residents, “if bike paths are safe”.
Labor councillor Vanessa Keenan was “really excited” by the release of the report, noting cycling was popular among residents and “reliance on cars and a lack of public transport won't be resolved quickly”.
If all goes to plan, the paths could be built by 2020.
Asked when the Wagga community could expect the rest of the much-hyped Integrated Transport Strategy dealing with traffic and parking woes, council general manager Alan Eldridge said it was “very close” to completion and release.
