Warringah Freeway Upgrade

Sydney’s Lower North Shore is bisected by one of the world’s widest urban road corridors. The Warringah Freeway stretches to an astonishing 16 lanes in North Sydney.

And it is getting wider

The complex Warringah Freeway Upgrade project is constructing more lanes to feed the future Western Harbour Tunnel and the (now cancelled) Beaches Link.

It is a major failure of planning and policy that the Warringah Freeway Upgrade misses vital opportunities to improve cycling connectivity and complete gaps in the active transport network.

Bicycle NSW and Bike North had to continually lobby NSW Government to expose the fact that the project was not delivering any new cycleways. In fact, the construction of yet more car infrastructure has sacrificed several walking and cycling paths that did exist. People walking and cycling through the area continue to be inconvenienced by very circuitous detours. We have lost precious urban tree canopy to widen road space, seriously reducing amenity for those living nearby.

Scraps of active transport infrastructure will be delivered to replace removed assets. However, they are disconnected and fail to improve the experience of navigating through the corridor on bike or foot.

A chink of light at the end of the tunnel

In accordance with Condition E195 of the planning approval, an Active Transport Network Review (ATNR) was prepared in 2023 in consultation with relevant councils and bicycle user groups. The review identified 6 priority connections. All are strongly supported by Bicycle NSW and Bike North.

Our submission is here.

Unfortunately, none of these projects are in the Warringah Freeway Upgrade scope of works.

A map showing the existing and proposed active transport network with several significant gaps identified as priorities. (Source: Transport for NSW)

There was some good news in 2025. After a lot of pressure, a wider and much safer bicycle path was constructed along a notorious section of the Warringah Freeway south of Naremburn. This path was only put on the to-do list because the contractors needed to lay new cables in the area.

The crossing of the Brook St on ramp has not been resolved yet but we have been promised that our preferred design is nearly across the line - although unfunded.

Bicycle NSW Bike Planner Sarah Bickford with Carolyn New and David Thomson of Bike North on the upgraded active transport link adjacent to the Warringah Freeway (image: Bicycle NSW)

Our current focus is to campaign for a separated cycleway along the Pacific Highway between Arthur St and West St. This is a high-priority strategic cycleway corridor. It was the top priority identified by the Active Transport Network Review consultation. It must be implemented as soon as the Western Harbour Tunnel is open, using road space reallocated from general traffic.

Bicycle NSW will continue working with Bike North and TfNSW on better outcomes along this key corridor. Please consider supporting our advocacy work on active transport infrastructure, both in North Sydney and across NSW, by joining the Bicycle NSW family today