Get the facts on the Avalon Place Plan

Council's new approach to planning, designing and managing our village and neighbourhood centres 'My Place' focuses on our residents' connection to their local area. 

Since our first plan, My Place: Avalon, has been on public exhibition, we have had several questions about the designs and what that will mean for the community. 

We have summarised the most common questions with answers below. 

The cycleway design won't allow pedestrians, especially people with a disability, to move easily across it. It also appears the cycleway poses a potential safety hazard for pedestrians of all ability due to bikes' high speed using the route.

The cycleway design provides the local community, including people of all ages and abilities, a safe cycling route that links the surrounding residential areas to the village and key destinations, including schools and the beach. 

Is there a 50 metre raised concrete barriers separating the cycleway from parking spaces? 

No. The plan does not include long raised concrete barriers separating the cycleway from parking spaces.

Will it be dangerous for cyclists as it crosses the intersection? 

Many people who already cycle to the village centre and Avalon Public School prefer to use the existing footpaths, which are considered safer than the road. A dedicated cycleway providing bike users with a separated and safer network will also improve pedestrian safety and reduce conflict between both users. The cycleway has not been designed for recreational road cyclists. 

Apparently, designing a cycleway that adjoins 90-degree parking has not been done anywhere in the world. Will Transport for NSW allow it to happen?

Council has successfully provided a cycleway adjoining 90-degree car parking in other areas of the Northern Beaches, such as Victoria Parade, Manly. There are also examples of this design in other parts of Sydney, such as Ramsgate Beach, Lillyfield and Zetland.

Does the cycleway present risks to pedestrian safety?

APA requested Council to incorporate an alternative bike and pedestrian design into the draft place plan for the community to consider, and we agreed to include the APA's alternative option for the community to consider. Council does not endorse the alternative design over the proposed cycleway. 

Is it true that approximately 21 parking spaces will be lost with the Council's proposed cycleway?

No, the accurate loss of spaces is 11. Seventeen parking spaces may be lost, and six gained due to removing the current loading zone and bus stop along Old Barrenjoey Rd. 

Will we lose 20 trees along Old Barrenjoey Road (south) with Council's proposed cycleway?

In response to community feedback and concerns we redesigned the cycleway to minimise the need to remove mature trees. The cycleway design relies on six trees in the centre of the Old Barrenjoey Road (south) and three immature trees along the edge of the western footpath to be removed. All other mature trees can be retained within the meandering cycleway design. Mature trees will not be removed from the village centre or Dunbar Park. 

For more information on this project and to have your say too, visit My Place: Avalon. Comments open until Sunday 16 May 2021.