According to tender documents, the route of the shared path will run parallel with Learmonth Road, beginning at Waringa Drive in Mitchell Park (at the southern edge of Miners Rest) and finishing at the northern boundary of Central Highland Water in Wendouree - a short stroll from Wendouree train station.

Notably, the shared bicycle path will be built down Learmonth Road's median strip as opposed to along the existing road itself, thereby avoiding the recent controversy engulfing Melbourne City Council - where works for protected bike lanes along main thoroughfares have been halted due to concerns around congestion and impeded parking space.

Though details in the tender documents are sparse, the works correspond with City of Ballarat's Ballarat Cycling Action Plan 2017-2025, which - in consultation with Regional Roads Victoria - earmarked this route as one of five "strategic cycling corridors" central to transitioning the city "towards a more sustainable and equitable future".

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The works therefore appear to form part of the Victorian government's $9.3 million Ballarat Safer Cycling Connections project, involving the construction of 12 kilometres of new cycling and walking paths throughout Ballarat's CBD along with a dedicated route down the Wendouree rail corridor.

The Courier was, however, unable to verify that detail on the Regional Roads Victoria website before print deadline.

Like council's Cycling Action Plan, the Safer Cycling Connections project also envisages the eventual construction of a separate shared bike and pedestrian path along the existing railway corridor connecting Wendouree train station to Ballarat train station.

Some of those works commenced late last year, with two new shared bicycle paths connecting Soldiers Hill to the Ballarat station precinct flagged for construction.

Council has long recognised higher uptakes of cycling within the community as critical to militating against the undesirable effects of rapid population growth, including increased congestion and lack of parking.

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