After more than two decades of campaigning, scrapped designs, and local opposition, a transformative new piece of transport infrastructure has finally opened in Sydney. The Sydney Harbour Bridge now boasts a smooth, continuous cycleway ramp, replacing a notorious 55-step staircase that had long been a barrier for many cyclists.
A Long-Awaited Victory for Commuters and Families
The $39 million ramp, which opened to the public on Tuesday, provides a seamless link for cyclists travelling from North Sydney into the Central Business District. For locals like Tony Stanley from Crows Nest, the upgrade is life-changing. He had previously been unable to bring his wife and five-year-old daughter across the bridge with their e-bike and trailer due to the impossible staircase.
"She normally rides to daycare every day … [but] she was able to ride over the harbour bridge all by herself today – it’s just fantastic," Stanley said, noting his daughter's bike was still decorated with Christmas tinsel. "It opens up where you can travel to now."
The upgrade is specifically designed to unlock the path for a wider range of users, including heavy e-bikes, bikes with trailers, and older riders. State Transport Minister John Graham described the ramp as "long-overdue," predicting it will attract significantly more traffic to the route, which already sees about 1,500 daily trips according to 2025 data.
Decades of Persistence Pay Off
Plans for a ramp have been under discussion since 1999, but were repeatedly shelved and revived, often due to opposition from some residents in Milsons Point concerned about the loss of green space. The project was finally approved for construction in 2023.
One of the earliest campaigners, Russ Webber, who began advocating for the ramp in 2000, sadly lost the ability to cycle before the project was approved. Undeterred, he celebrated the opening by crossing the bridge in a trishaw pedalled by a volunteer from the Cycling Without Age charity, alongside fellow campaigner Carolyn New.
"I haven’t been on a bike for three years, so it’s been fantastic," Webber said. "This ramp will be a terrific thing."
Integrating into a Growing Sydney Cycle Network
The new ramp, which rises from Bradfield Park in Milsons Point to join the dedicated bike path on the bridge's west side, is more than just a local convenience. It represents a critical link in Sydney's expanding active travel network.
Cyclists now enjoy a nearly continuous path from North Sydney, through the CBD, across the Anzac Bridge and down to the Cooks River, with connections to Brighton-le-Sands and Olympic Park. This follows the recent completion of the GreenWay path in December and the first stage of the Oxford Street cycleway last July.
Jullietta Jung, president of the Better Streets advocacy group, said the opening builds vital momentum. "The more you see that cycling can be beautiful and it can contribute to the landscape … it’s definitely increasing momentum," she stated. "It’s all these missing links that we’re slowly getting to build up … for all ages and abilities to be able to ride safely in our cities."
For daily commuters like Stuart Lobb, who has travelled the route for 24 years, the improvement is palpable. Dressed in his bike club Lycra, he tested his new daily commute. "It all flows nicely. It’s the best way to get to work: the bridge, the water, the ferries; it’s amazing," he said, looking forward to more people joining him on the scenic journey that offers views of the Parramatta River, Luna Park, the Rocks, and the Opera House.
