Image: Jeffery Goh
The iconic Sydney Harbour Bridge is set to become more accessible to locals, visitors, and tourists under a planned upgrade announced by the New South Wales government.
The changes will have lifts installed at both ends of the structure — to the north in Kirribilli and the south The Rocks — making it easier for pedestrians to reach the bridge’s scenic walkway.
“The Sydney Harbour Bridge walkway is appreciated by more than a million people each year for exercise, to take in views of the harbour, or travel between home and work — and it should be available for everyone to enjoy,” the New South Wales minister for roads Duncan Gay said in a media release.
“These changes would mean there are no constraints for people with prams, the elderly, or for those in a wheelchair to access the Sydney Harbour Bridge walkway.”
The view from the bridge takes in some of Sydney’s most recognisable landmarks, including Circular Quay, the Sydney Opera House, and the eastern stretches of Sydney Harbour, but its pedestrian walkway is currently only accessible by climbing more than sixty stairs at each end.
New South Wales minister for disability services John Ajaka said that could prevent people from experiencing the bridge.
“Everyone, including people with disability, should be able to enjoy everything NSW has to offer. This project is a game-changer for people with disability and their families,” he said in a media release.
“When the bridge was opened in 1932, access wasn’t considered like it is now in 2016 and it makes sense that as our community becomes more inclusive, the bridge moves with the times.”
The upgrade is expected to begin sometime in 2017, after a twelve-month consultation, design, and environmental assessment period. New South Wales Roads and Maritime Services will make the upgrade after taking into account considerations including heritage value, visual impact, and accessibility standards.
