A stretch of beachside shared pathway at Bulli used by more than half a million people in the past year is getting an upgrade.
A 500-metre section of pathway from the Park Road-Trinity Row intersection south to the beach car park will be almost doubled in width to four metres.
Work is already under way to patch up sections of the pathway before the expansion begins - pegs have been placed along the pathway to mark the new edges.
Read more: Cyclist injured in Blue Mile pathway crash
Wollongong Lord Mayor Gordon Bradbery said a council counter installed near the Slacky Creek Bridge just north of Park Road showed more than 630,000 people walked, ran or rode along the path in the past year.
"We've heard feedback from our community who wanted us to widen the pathway to reduce interactions between pedestrians and cyclists, and to allow more room for all users," Cr Bradbery said.
"We've responded to that with this exciting upgrade and I'm looking forward to seeing this stage of the project finished in time for the busy summer months when this area becomes a hive of activity with people embracing the enviable lifestyle our city offers.''
The wider pathway will run closer to the beach embankment near the car park, and the council is planning to install a safety fence along this section.
Cr Bradbery said the fencing will be minimal so as not to affect the beach and water views.
"We've been mindful in designing the fence in keeping with the beach aesthetic so that it blends into the local environment," he said.
"It's a protective barrier that will be in place to reduce the risk of a mobility scooter driver or cyclist going over the armour wall on the section of the path that is now closer to the beach."
The pathway will also be lowered near Ursula Road to provide an overflow path for rainwater during heavy storms.
Our news app has had a makeover, making it faster and giving you access to even more great content. Download The Illawarra Mercury news app in the Apple Store and Google Play.
Glen Humphries
I'm an award-winning senior journalist with the Illawarra Mercury and have well over two decades' worth of experience in newspapers. I cover the three local councils in the Illawarra for the Mercury, state and federal politics, as well as writing for the TV guide. If I'm not writing, I'm reading.
I'm an award-winning senior journalist with the Illawarra Mercury and have well over two decades' worth of experience in newspapers. I cover the three local councils in the Illawarra for the Mercury, state and federal politics, as well as writing for the TV guide. If I'm not writing, I'm reading.
