A stretch of O’Sullivan Road in Rose Bay could soon become safer and easier for locals to walk, run and ride, with a proposed 1.7-kilometre upgrade adding a wider shared path and a separated cycleway.
The proposed upgrade would run along O’Sullivan Road between Old South Head Road and New South Head Road, creating a mix of separated cycleway and shared path designed for people travelling on foot or by bike.
The concept design describes a total of 1.7 kilometres of new path work, made up of about 900 metres of shared path and 800 metres of separated footpath and cycleway. At its narrowest point, the shared path would be three metres wide, allowing about 1.5 metres in each direction. The separated cycleway would be about 2.4 metres wide, allowing about 1.2 metres in each direction.
How the Bike Route Would Be Separated
For the section with a separated cycleway and footpath, the design includes a concrete barrier, described as a concrete “lip”, between the cycleway and the parking lane. The existing nature strip and kerb would remain in place to separate the cycleway from the footpath.
Project material states the current on-road bike lane on much of O’Sullivan Road can be unsafe and hard to use when large parked vehicles, including cars, boats and trailers, encroach on the lane. The proposed mix of shared path and separated cycleway is intended to improve safety by keeping riders away from traffic lanes.
Two New Crossings Proposed
Two new pedestrian crossings are proposed as part of the plan, in response to local requests. A raised pedestrian crossing is proposed near Bunyula Road, close to the entrance to the Woollahra Golf Club car park. A signalised pedestrian crossing is proposed on O’Sullivan Road near the major intersection with Old South Head Road, with project material describing it as a way to complete a missing link at the intersection.
Connecting Parks, the Foreshore and a 4km Loop
The proposed path would connect to existing routes around the Woollahra Golf Club and Royal Sydney Golf Club, completing a loop of about four kilometres that project material says would suit walkers, runners, cyclists and other users on a relatively flat grade. The proposal also links into existing paths and shared paths, including Rose Bay Promenade and New South Head Road, and connects to open spaces such as Lyne Park and the Rose Bay foreshore.
The project is also designed to link with a new cycleway along Curlewis Street in Bondi being built by Waverley Council, which is due for completion in mid-2026. The route was identified as a priority cycling route in the Active Transport Plan adopted by Woollahra Municipal Council in 2023, following community feedback that included submissions calling for more cycleways and clearer provision for cyclists.
The consultation period is open until 11:59 p.m. on Monday, March 23, 2026, with construction proposed for late 2026 or early 2027 and expected to take about six months.
Published 6-Mar-2026
