Completed cycleway next to Qantas Drive

From Giovanni Brunetti Bridge over the Cooks River, alongside Airport Drive, under the Botany goods rail line and as far as Coward Street.

Status:
BUILT. Airport reach, originally labelled "stage 2" was accelerated when the RTA built the M5East and changed the original proposed course of the M5East cycleway (which was to continue along airport drive) to instead follow the canal for longer, to Coward Street, before heading east. As the project was handed from one RTA project manager to another, all found the cycleway too hard until the legendary Lakshmi. She overcame the narrow gap between Airport Drive and heritage canal wall for one section by building a pile and beam (effectively bridge) cycleway. This was high quality engineering not normally utilised for cycleways! Similarly, the section under the goods rail line was delayed by width and water level issues until a high-tech, one way drain was agreed to. This section is wide and well built (even if the fencing is over the top). A pleasure to ride.

Problem:
This regional cycleway was built by the RTA. The RTA "hands regional cycleways over to the local council to maintain" (but without funding). The City of Botany Bay were not convinced. So there was a fight over who should maintain the cycleway which at one stage saw the whole thing almost entirely overgrown with weeds. Currently, it seems well maintained, though we are yet to establish whether a formal agreement between RTA & Council has been reached.

Solution:
Formal agreement between RTA & Botany Council on who is responsible for maintenance.

How you can help:
If there are maintenance issues, please call the RTA on 9218 6816 and/or Botany Council on 9366 3666 to report the issue. Let us know what response you get.
Map of Alexandra Canal