The Sydney Harbour Bridge northern cycleway delivers a continuous, step-free connection between the central city and North Sydney. This legacy piece of city-shaping infrastructure makes cycling across the harbour a safe and inclusive experience now and into the future. Since the mid 1970’s accessing the bridge has required cyclists to dismount and carry bicycles up or down 55 steps.

Officially opened in January 2026 by NSW Minister for Transport the Hon. John Graham, the new 185m cycleway marks the culmination of decades of advocacy, planning and support from the NSW Government. The design responds directly to the core challenge, of delivering a comfortable and accessible everyday cycling experience while integrating contemporary infrastructure with Sydney Harbour Bridge’s heritage and cultural surroundings.

The ramp’s serpentine form is intentionally pared back to a fluid, refined expression, balancing lightness, transparency, and a reduced physical footprint with robustness, constructability, sustainability, legibility, and long-term maintenance. This approach preserves the openness of the neighbouring Milsons Point train station forecourt and integrates the ramp seamlessly into its Bradfield Park surroundings. A section of the original 1932 Bridge parapet removed to enable connection with the new ramp has been relocated to the plaza to symbolically mark the beginning of the cycleway.

The ramp weaves together state-of-the-art digital engineering and ancient craft traditions, pairing parametric design with time-honoured methods of producing bespoke metalwork. A continuous cast bronze balustrade, conceived as a woven ribbon, wraps around the cycleway. Patinated to achieve a naturally aged finish, the balustrade references both Sydney Harbour Bridge’s industrial palette and the bronze detailing of Sydney Opera House, creating a contemporary and contextual new structure.

The ramp structure features a series of precast concrete columns supporting a slender, gently curving ramp made from steel and concrete. Eight oval-shaped columns taper as they rise, creating an elegant profile that sits comfortably alongside the Harbour Bridge. The concrete includes a subtle pigment, complementing the colour and texture of the weathered surfaces of the neighbouring western bridge wall. Textured detailing built into the column moulds adds visual interest while discouraging graffiti and fly-posting. Supporting columns are carefully positioned to avoid disruption to key pedestrian routes and sightlines. A subtle asymmetry between the ramp’s centreline and the column grid generates a shifting structural relationship that gives rise to the ramp’s sinuous organic form, echoing the shapes and movements of marine life gliding through the nearby harbour waters.

The ramp itself is inspired by aircraft wing design. Its lightweight steel structure is highly efficient, allowing it to span longer distances with the minimum of material. A central beam winds through the structure, responding in width to curves, varying spans, and nearby features such as the station entrance. Slender extensions from the beam create a fine edge along the balustrade, helping to minimise its visual impact.

Below the ramp, a series of integrated ribs strengthen the steel deck while adding depth and visual detail. The steelwork is protected with a durable, mica-rich paint finish that matches the colour and character of the adjacent historic bridge. 

Public domain upgrades extend beyond cycling infrastructure; new footpaths, pedestrian crossings and a generous paved plaza introduce seating, water and bike-repair facilities, creating a welcoming civic space for commuters, visitors and the local community.

Embedded within the ramp is a significant public artwork by Jason Wing and Maddison Gibbs, which speaks to movement, connection and Country at this important harbour crossing. Composed of hand-laid granite cobblestones sourced from across Australia and internationally, the paving design depicts two eels migrating between saltwater and freshwater, a cultural narrative that recognises that the Sydney Harbour Bridge traverses a path of confluence and connection between Gadigal land to the south and Cammeraygal land to the north.