Sherbrooke Street Active travel street

Project description

Design is underway on Sherbrooke Street Active travel street.

The ACT Government is committed to making Canberra a more liveable and sustainable city. Walking, cycling and other forms of active travel are an important part of making this happen.

The ACT Government is designing Canberra’s first Active travel street on Sherbrooke Street in Ainslie. It will be part of the Garden City Cycleway. An early investigation of the Garden City Cycleway route alignment identified the opportunity to include an Active travel street pilot project. Visit the Garden City Cycleway project page to find out more.

The proposed Active travel street would provide a more attractive and safer space for walking and cycling by creating a slow-speed environment for vehicles and upgrading supporting elements such as lighting, safe road crossings and connections to the broader path network. For more information on the changes or features of an Active travel street, see the Active travel streets section below.

By retrofitting and adapting existing streets and pathways to be safer and more inclusive, the project aims to support a shift towards sustainable transport modes, contributing to Canberra’s 2045 zero emissions target.

Stage 1

In 2025 the ACT Government asked residents and key stakeholders for feedback to help shape a concept design for the proposed active travel street on Sherbrooke Street in Ainslie, which forms part of the Garden City Cycleway.

Detailed design was completed in mid-2026 and now funding has been secured to progress a first stage of works.

This first stage of works includes a raised pedestrian crossing on Angas Street and another on Cowper Street. Lighting upgrades will also be undertaken from Wakefield Ave to Cowper Street, and a kerb realignment will improve safety at Cowper Street crossing.

View a technical drawing of the works (PDF 41.1 MB).

Construction procurement will begin with works expected to start in the first quarter of 2027. Construction of other stages is subject to future funding.

Please note, this first stage of works does not make Sherbrooke Street an ‘active travel street.’ For this to occur, all stages of works will need to be completed, including speed limit reductions.

Active travel streets

Active travel streets provide a more attractive and safer space for walking and cycling by creating a slow-speed environment for vehicles and upgrading supporting elements such as lighting, safe pedestrians crossings and connections to the broader path network.

They may include:

• changes to the shape of the road to slow vehicles down
• changes to traffic priority at intersections
• changes to speed limits
• raised concrete areas or pavement treatments at the entry to a street to signal a change in street environment (e.g. raised crossings and speed cushions)
• concrete islands or pavement treatments to create short one-lane sections to encourage a slow speed shared environment
• landscaping, lighting and other features to create a more welcoming environment for all types of travel
• signage or design features on the road to indicate that it is a shared environment with priority for cyclists and pedestrians.

Photos

Related links

• Drawing of Stage 1 works 41.1 MB
• Garden City Cycleway
• Concept design 869.1 KB
• Community feedback report 62.0 MB

Stay updated

If you’d like to stay updated on this project, bookmark this page or email us at communityengagement@act.gov.au to be included on any project updates.