Mundy Street shared user path

The City of Greater Bendigo with $3.74M funding provided by the Victorian Government’s Department of Transport and Planning (DTP) will construct a new protected shared user path along Mundy Street from Back Creek to McCrae Street in the Bendigo city centre.

The project also includes installation of new pedestrian operated traffic lights where the cycleway meets the arterial road network at Myers Street.

In addition to this project, DTP are installing pedestrian operated signals the intersections of McCrae Street and Mundy Street, and Chapel Street and Hargreaves Street. The new traffic lights at these intersections will provide a dedicated, safe crossing point for pedestrians, bike riders and other vulnerable road users and and provide access to the Bendigo Creek Trail and the Bendigo Low Line.

Works will be planned to have the least impact on residents, businesses and the general community.

This is a key strategic project of the City of Greater Bendigo’s Walking and Cycling Strategy to connect existing off-road and future off-road trails to provide alternate access into the Bendigo City Centre to support the growth of Greater Bendigo.

The need for comfortable, protected shared user paths in the Bendigo city centre was one of the strongest themes to emerge from community engagement processes undertaken to develop the City of Greater Bendigo’s Walking and Cycling Strategy. Through this engagement residents indicated they do not feel safe riding and interacting with traffic in this area.

It is international best practice to calm traffic and provide separated, protected cycling infrastructure (protected cycleways) in these busy environments. A minimum grid of protected cycleways in the city centre that support all ages, all abilities riding will enable more people to ride to the city centre and arrive safely and comfortable within one to two blocks of their destination.

A protected cycleway is a bicycle infrastructure that physically separates bicycle riders from traffic and significantly improves cycling comfort. Protected cycleways provide benefits to all road users by reducing congestion and improving travel times.

A protected cycleway provides a physical barrier - for example a kerb - to separate people on bicycles from motor vehicles. International research supported by the City’s community engagement processes, shows this is the most effective way to make cycling a viable option for up to 60% of the community who are interested in riding more often but are concerned about safety in traffic.

Protected cycleways have been shown internationally to benefit people walking and cycling and driving in city centres.

Evidence shows that protected cycleways can contribute to higher amenity, economic benefits for retailers and property values.

Mundy Street connects to the popular Back Creek Trail and is also a clear entryway into the Bendigo city centre and Rosalind Park. It will also provide a clear connection to the Bendigo Creek Trail which runs from Kangaroo Flat to Huntly and will incorporate the Bendigo Low Line.

The Back Creek Trail has seen consistent increases in walking and cycling in recent years, use has almost doubled from 25,000 bicycles crossing the trail counter in its first year to more than 45,000 in 2018. In March 2019, an average of 188 bicycles crossed the counter per day. It is estimated between one and two people walk this trail for each person on a bike. This means 100,000 or more people are making use of this corridor each year.

The combination of infrastructure development and community driven activation is contributing to this rapid growth.

Infrastructure includes:

• Ongoing trail development over a number of years - Connecting the Spring Gully Trail to the Bendigo Creek Trail - Elimination of five road crossings (trail underpasses at busy roads) including at McIvor Road, creating an almost continuous, 11 kilometre, all ages, all abilities trail from Spring Gully to Epsom - Spring Gully mountain bike facilities including the pump track and trail head facilities

Community-driven activation (led by Bike Bendigo) includes:

• Regular community bicycle rides - commissioning of four vibrant murals by local artists with community participation, funded by Creative Victoria and VicRoads
• Events including street festivals and a pop-up learn-to-ride park and Mountain Bike competitions and events learn to-ride and bicycle skills courses for all ages, university students, women, culturally-diverse communities and the broader community - Revegetation projects

Yes. The Department of Transport and Planning will install pedestrian operated signals (traffic lights) in McCrae Street at the Mundy Street intersection. The City of Greater Bendigo will install pedestrian operated signals (traffic lights) in Myers Street at the Mundy Street intersection.

There will also be an additional set of pedestrian operated signals installed at the intersection of Chapel Street and Hargreaves Street by DTP.

There will be a total loss of six car parking spaces on Mundy Street between McCrae Street and the rail line.

12 trees will be removed and 22 new trees planted. This will result in an increase of 10 new trees in Mundy Street.

No. The project will be undertaken in stages. However, we do anticipate there will be some minor disruption to traffic flows in Mundy Street when works are underway in the various sections.

Access to businesses and properties will remain open at all times. There may be brief periods when vehicle access to properties is restricted to allow for construction across driveway areas. City staff will work with affected residents and businesses to ensure any disruptions are kept to a minimum.

This is a $3.74M project funded by the Department of Transport and Planning. The City of Greater Bendigo is responsible for designing and delivering the project. 

The project works will be delivered in stages. Works are expected to commence early in the 2025/2026 financial year and are anticipated to be completed before the end of 2026.