The Escarpment Boardwalk is now officially open to the public, connecting Parramatta Park to Melrose Park through a completely off-road walking and cycling path along the Parramatta River.
Co-funded by City of Parramatta and the NSW Government, this $18 million project is the final link in the popular Parramatta Valley Cycleway.
As part of the project, Council has also delivered two new sets of stairs, providing direct access from the boardwalk to Stewart Street and Macarthur Street for students of Macarthur Girls High School and the public. With this new connection, the community can now experience over 20km of off-road paths on both sides of the Parramatta River.
The paths wind through open parks, local playgrounds and sporting fields, as well as mangroves on elevated boardwalks and in some sections through a tree canopy six metres off the ground! See below for a map of the full Parramatta Valley Cycleway.
Nearly 2 million pedestrians and cyclists currently enjoy the CBD foreshore every year, and with the opening of this crucial link, there is even more reason to use the Parramatta Valley Cycleway for your daily commute, to exercise or just for fun!
The boardwalk, which sits opposite the Parramatta Ferry Wharf, is made up of 157 pre-cast concrete panels that weigh up to 10 tonnes each. They have been designed to withstand extreme situations, including a potential ferry strike and high velocity floodwaters.
The boardwalk is the first stage of the transformation of Parramatta Quay, the riverside gateway to the Parramatta CBD, with the upgrade of Charles Street Square to follow.
At the recent Institute of Public Works Engineering Australiasia NSW & ACT Awards, the project won the Engineering Excellence Award for projects greater than $5M.
