The cycle bridge goes over freight railway lines running between Yarraville and Brooklyn. It opened in November 2014, when a VicRoads director, Adam Maguire, said it would help support "the growing cycling culture".

Less than two years later, the cycle bridge faces the wrecking ball to make way for a widened West Gate Freeway. Widening the freeway from eight to 12 car lanes is part of the Andrews government's Western Distributor project.

"It's farcical, it really is," said cyclist Jennifer Williams, a member of the Baywest Bicycle Users Group. Its members were among cyclists campaigning from 2006 for the crossing - coined the "Brooklyn Bridge" by lobby group Bicycle Network.

Before the bridge was built, Ms Williams said, "there was no way to get over all of the freight lines". The road alternatives, she said, were full of trucks. "It's crazy. It's finally been built so we can avoid all that."

Toll road operator Transurban successfully pitched its $5.5 billion road plan to the Andrews government despite there being no public discussion about it before the 2014 state election (Treasurer Tim Pallas has said Labor discussed the road privately with Transurban).

While the cycle bridge may be demolished, this will ultimately be a good news story for cyclists – with plans to extend the Federation Trail all the way into Yarraville, ultimately making cycling much safer in an area dominated by trucks

A Transurban spokesman declined to discuss the cycle bridge's potential demolition, directing queries to the government's Western Distributor Authority.

The authority confirmed the Western Distributor project would widen the West Gate Freeway to 12 lanes in that section. Asked whether the cycling and pedestrian bridge would go as part of the widening, the authority's spokesman Jim Carden said a tender process was underway.

"The final construction methodology and exact engineering solutions will not be known until the conclusion of that process," Mr Carden said.

Opposition roads spokesman Ryan Smith said the possible demolition of the bridge pointed to a "cavalier" attitude and poor planning by the Andrews government. The bridge could be demolished "because Daniel Andrews won't take the time to design his road project properly", he said.

But Bicycle Network chief executive Craig Richards said ultimately, if the bridge was demolished, it would be a good thing for cyclists as the Federation Trail would be completed all the way to the city centre.

"The development of the Federation Trail has been ongoing for decades and we will finally see it link to the city," he said. "The trail's vision of connecting Werribee to Melbourne will finally be realised."