A long-awaited cycle ramp on the Sydney Harbour Bridge has opened, replacing a notorious 55-step staircase and providing a continuous route from North Sydney to the CBD. The $39 million upgrade, which opened on Tuesday, ends a 24-year campaign for a smooth connection.
The ramp allows heavy e-bikes, bikes with trailers, and older riders to cross the bridge easily. Tony Stanley, a local resident, crossed with his wife and five-year-old daughter for the first time, as their e-bike and trailer were previously too heavy to carry up the stairs. 'She was able to ride over the harbour bridge all by herself today – it’s just fantastic,' he said.
About 1,500 trips are made on the cycleway daily, according to 2025 data. State transport minister John Graham called the ramp 'long-overdue' and said it would attract more cyclists. The ramp rises from Bradfield Park in Milsons Point onto the bridge's west-side bike path, offering scenic views of the Parramatta River, Luna Park, and the Opera House.
Plans for the ramp date back to 1999 but were repeatedly shelved due to local opposition. Russ Webber, who campaigned for the ramp since 2000, lost the ability to cycle before construction was approved in 2023. He crossed the bridge in a trishaw on Tuesday, saying, 'This ramp will be a terrific thing.'
The opening completes a nearly continuous bike path from North Sydney through the CBD, across the Anzac Bridge, and down to the Cooks River, with links to other suburbs. Jullietta Jung, president of Better Streets advocacy group, said the ramp boosts momentum for more cycleways, adding, 'It’s all these missing links that we’re slowly getting to build up.'
