Today the Escarpment Boardwalk connecting Parramatta Park, Melrose Park and Olympic Park has officially opened. The addition of the 350m off-road pedestrian and cycling path along the Parramatta River was considered the missing link in the Parramatta Valley cycleway.
The new pathway will help connect the Parramatta CBD to Meadowbank and provide a great link for cyclists and pedestrians (and prams!) through Sydney Olympic Park.
With this new connection, the community can now experience over 20km of off-road paths at river-level on both sides of the Parramatta River.
Co-funded by City of Parramatta and the NSW Government to the tune of $18 million, the project also includes two new sets of stairs that provide direct access to Stewart Street and Macarthur Street for Macarthur Girls High students and the public.
Located opposite the ferry wharf in the Parramatta CBD, this new boardwalk will:
- increase accessible to and enjoyment of the Parramatta Valley Cycleway for cyclists and Pedestrians
- will halve current travel times
- remove steep inclines
- avoid a number of road crossings making it safer for all to use
- improve traffic flow by reducing the amount of pedestrians and cyclists using the crossing on MacArthur street.
The boardwalk, which sits opposite the Parramatta Ferry Wharf, is made up of 157 pre-cast concrete panels that weigh up to 10 tonnes each. They have been designed to withstand extreme situations, including a potential ferry strike and high velocity floodwaters.
