BIKES INVITED TO MAC POINT

Enthusiasm surrounds cycleway extension

A NEW cycleway will open Macquarie Point permanently to public access for the first time since 1850. The $700,000 extension of the Intercity Cycleway through the former industrial area will deliver two new routes: one exiting onto Evans St, and one onto Davey St. State Growth Minister Peter Gutwein said he was hoping to progress the broader site “quickly”.

AN extension of the Intercity Cycleway through Macquarie Point is one of 13 projects planned for the Macquarie Point precinct this financial year.

The $700,000 cycleway will open the 9.3ha former industrial area to the public for the first time since 1850 and aim to offer a safer bike path than that next to the Tasman Highway.

The Macquarie Point Development Corporation re- vealed yesterday that it would build two cycle routes through the site: one exiting onto Evans St and one onto Davey St.

The Evans St route will be completed first and allow a tour of Red Square, the School of Art and the waterfront, with the second route to be completed a year later.

It will connect Berriedale with the waterfront via the cycleway for the first time.

A tender for construction is open with the project expected to begin this month and wrap up by February.

Macquarie Point Development Corporation chief executive Mary Massina said the group aimed to present “the best cycleway there is in Hobart”.

“We’ve been working with the Hobart City Council bike advisory committee, the wider bike community, and we’re certainly encouraging Tasmanians to have a voice via our survey on our website to tell us what kind of amenities they think are really necessary for the cycleway,” Ms Massina said.

State Growth Minister Peter Gutwein said the State Government was hoping to progress the broader site “quickly”.

“I’ll be introducing legislation later this year that will clarify matters for the corporation and enable it to ensure that this site captures the investment that we all know that it should,” he said.

I’ll be introducing legislation later this year ... to ensure that this site captures the investment that we all know that it should — PETER GUTWEIN