In partnership with the Department of Transport, the Town is constructing an off-road walking and cycling path that will connect Welshpool Road to Great Eastern Highway and complete the Principal Shared Path route along the Armadale Railway.
The Rutland Avenue Shared Path is highlighted in the Town’s new Integrated Transport Strategy as a key initiative to improve the Town’s cycling network. The new shared path will enhance walking cycling amenity for the whole community and connect the Town to the greater Armadale area and the CBD.
Project Delivery
The Rutland Avenue Shared Path project is divided into three stages, two of which have already been delivered.
- Stage 1: Welshpool to Oats Street (completed in 2019)
- Stage 2: Oats Street to Miller Street (completed in 2020)
- Stage 3: Miller Street to Great Eastern Highway (partially complete)
Stage 3 will be constructed in two sections – firstly from Miller Street to Bishopsgate Street (complete), then from Bishopsgate Street to Great Eastern Highway.
Works to deliver Stage 3 of the Rutland Avenue Shared Path will involve:
- Widening of the road to accommodate the new shared path
- Relocation of services
- Removal of a minimum number of trees
- Construction of the shared path
- Relocation and construction of a new footpath on the opposite side of Rutland Avenue
Miller Street to Bishopsgate Street
The Miller to Bishopsgate section of the Shared Path was successfully constructed from August to October 2023.
Bishopsgate Street to Great Eastern Highway
For the final section of the Shared Path, the Town is considering converting the section of Rutland Avenue that runs between Gallipoli Street and Midgley Street to a one-way southbound corridor.
Converting this section of Rutland Avenue to one-way will avoid the need to widen the road for the new shared path, saving valuable verge area and resulting in a simpler construction process.
One-way trial
To test how this proposal might impact the local area, the Town converted Rutland Avenue to one-way for a trial period of two weeks in Mat 2023, where the southbound lane was open to vehicles and the northbound lane was used as a cycling path. Before and after the trial, the community was asked for their feedback about the one-way option. Full details of the one-way trial is available on Your Thoughts here.
To provide local residents and the general public with a visual representation of the potential outcomes, the following 3D renders illustrate the two shared path scenarios.
One-way conversion. (landscaping for illustrative purposes only).
Two-way conversion with road widening.
What's happening now?
At the 21 May 2024 Council Meeting, Council considered the proposed one-way option for the section of Rutland Avenue between Gallipoli Street and Midgley Street.
Council resolved to support the construction of this section of the PSP as a grade-separated shared path with the original two-way road as the preferred option.
Due to cost escalation and design work still to be carried out, this option attracts higher budget investment.
Council also resolved to undertake advocacy efforts to the Minister for Transport and the Member for Victoria Park to allocate additional funding to deliver the preferred two-way construction treatment.
To date, the project team has undertaken extensive advocacy efforts with various external agencies and will continue to do so to address any funding shortfall.
The Town is expected to report back to Council in October 2024 with the progress of these advocacy efforts.
Full details can be found from the 21 May Council Meeting.
Frequently asked questions
Why does Rutland Avenue need a shared path?
Rutland Avenue is located on one of Perth’s main arterial routes that forms part of the State Government’s Principal Shared Path network. The Rutland Avenue Shared Path is a key part of creating a network of cycle paths within a 15km radius of the CBD and represents the final link in a major cycle network through Victoria Park towards Armadale.
In addition, a shared path will greatly improve road safety on Rutland Avenue. Many parts of Rutland Avenue are very narrow and carry up to 1,500 vehicles per day, so the road space is often shared by multiple transport modes and it’s especially difficult for cars to pass on-road cyclists.
When will the shared path be finished?
Stages 1 & 2 of the path were delivered in 2019 and 2020, and construction of the final stage is expected to commence in mid-2023.
The Town will keep this webpage updated on any changes to timeframes and provide the community with regular project updates leading up to and throughout construction of the final section of the Shared Path.
Did the Town hold any community consultation about the shared path?
Yes – substantial community engagement was undertaken in 2018 for a Safe Active Street on along Rutland Avenue. Community feedback indicated that a Safe Active Street was not the best option and an off-road shared path was a more suitable treatment.
A Safe Active Street was considered unsafe due to high traffic volumes along the route and the narrow nature of the road. Residents also raised concerns that a Safe Active Street would push traffic into suburban roads. An off-road shared cycling and walking path solves both of these issues.
How is the project being funded?
The Rutland Avenue Shared Path project is funded up to $2.2 million by the WA State Government. Since this funding was granted, cost estimates have increased due to market pressures.
The original two-way design and the proposed one-way conversion are expected to cost more than the original funding, however the one-way conversion is expected to have less of a funding shortfall due to the simpler nature of the works (with no road widening or service relocation required).
Under either design, the Town will request an increase to the original funded amount.
Further resources
Armadale Railway Shared Path | Building for Tomorrow
WA Bicycle Network Plan | Department of Transport
Principal Shared Path Expansion Program | Department of Transport