Brisbane City has released preliminary designs for a new separated bikeway along Shafston Avenue, extending the active travel corridor already established by the Kangaroo Point Bridge.
Read: Kangaroo Point to Anchor Major CityLink Cycleway Expansion
The 1.2-kilometre Shafston Avenue Bikeway will run between Deakin Street at Kangaroo Point and Mowbray Park at East Brisbane, delivering a two-way cycleway and a separate footpath along a stretch long identified as difficult and dangerous for cyclists.
Plans released ahead of the 2026-27 budget showed dedicated lanes for cyclists travelling in each direction and a third lane reserved for pedestrians. Several pedestrian crossings are also planned, including at Thorn Street and Castlebar Street.
The project forms part of Stage 3 of the CityLink Cycleway program, jointly funded under a 50-50 agreement with the state, through the Cycle Network Local Government Grant program. The final design is expected to be released late in 2026, with construction scheduled to begin in 2027. Costs have not yet been confirmed.
A gap that needed filling
Cyclists travelling between the eastern suburbs and the CBD have long flagged Shafston Avenue as a problem stretch. Norman Park retiree Richard Boys, who regularly rides toward the city, described the avenue as the roughest part of his route and said a proper bikeway would give him a continuous and safer link through to the inner city.
Belinda Ward, a spokesperson for cyclist advocacy group East BUG, said the upgrade was long overdue. East BUG was among the groups consulted during the planning process, with early designs initially proposing a shared path before being revised to include the separated bikeway and footpath that feature in the current preliminary plans.
Ward said the eastern suburbs had been overlooked for a long time, and while the Shafston Avenue project was a positive step, there remained much more to be done. She noted that past announcements had not always translated into action, and said what mattered most now was seeing construction actually get underway.
What the project will deliver
Once complete, the bikeway will create a direct and safer route between the eastern suburbs and the city via the Kangaroo Point Bridge, improving the connection for people walking, riding and scooting. The upgrade is part of a broader expansion of the CityLink Cycleway, which also includes a planned extension of the existing bikeway along Melbourne Street in South Brisbane, connecting the recent Victoria Bridge to Cordelia Street link through to Boundary Street in West End.
Stages 1 and 2 of the CityLink Cycleway became permanent in 2022 following a successful trial period.
Cr Adrian Schrinner said the project was about keeping pace with the city’s growth. “As our city grows, we need a transport network that makes active travel easier, helping residents leave their cars at home and reducing congestion on our roads,” he said.
Council infrastructure chair Ryan Murphy said the bikeway would give residents safer, easier travel options as Brisbane continues to grow.
Brisbane also highlighted the detailed planning behind the design. “Shafston Avenue is a busy and important road for all modes of travel travelling to and from the eastern suburbs. We have completed detailed traffic modelling to help us make balanced changes to intersections and local traffic access to include safe and efficient movements for people walking and riding. This work will help all of our community get home sooner and safer.”
A project years in the making
The Shafston Avenue corridor has attracted various proposals over the years. In 2020, a $22.5 million plan was announced to close gaps in the Riverwalk at Kangaroo Point and create an unbroken path linking Kangaroo Point and Mowbray Park. In 2024, a separate $35 million proposal was put forward to upgrade the existing bike route along Shafston Avenue into a separated cycleway.
Read: Kangaroo Point Bridge Opening to Boost Brisbane Connectivity
The current project builds on those earlier proposals, with a preliminary design now public and a construction timeline confirmed.
More information on the Shafston Avenue Bikeway is available at brisbane.qld.gov.au.
Published 16-June-2026
