Works are underway on the Peacock Road Cycle Route, which will create Adelaide’s second separated bikeway and provide a safer, more comfortable connection between the Mike Turtur Bikeway, the Adelaide Park Lands and the city centre.

The project will deliver physically separated bike lanes along Peacock Road between Greenhill Road and South Terrace. A new separation median will protect riders from moving traffic, while improved links to existing shared-use paths and an upgraded pedestrian refuge near South Terrace will make the corridor easier to navigate.

More than a short stretch of bikeway

While the route itself covers a relatively short distance, its importance lies in what it connects.

Peacock Road is already one of Adelaide’s busiest cycling corridors, carrying hundreds of riders each day. It forms the crucial final link between the popular Mike Turtur Bikeway and destinations across the city.

To the south, the route will also connect with cycling infrastructure being delivered by the City of Unley, including improvements along King William Road. To the north, it will provide access to the Park Lands paths and the broader city cycling network.

This coordination across council boundaries is particularly welcome. People riding bikes experience a journey as one continuous trip, regardless of which council area they are travelling through. Safe infrastructure is most useful when routes connect seamlessly, without gaps that force riders into mixed traffic at the most difficult points.

Physical separation makes a real difference

The existing painted bike lanes on Peacock Road provide limited protection from passing vehicles and the risk of car doors opening into the riding space.

Replacing painted lanes with physical separation will provide a more predictable environment for everyone using the road. It will reduce interaction between riders and moving traffic while making the route more inviting for people who may not feel comfortable riding alongside vehicles.

Confident and experienced riders may be prepared to use conventional bike lanes, but a truly accessible cycling network must also work for children, older people, newer riders and anyone who wants greater protection from traffic.

The City of Adelaide reports that its previous separated bikeway projects have produced a measurable increase in cycling activity. When people are provided with safe and comfortable infrastructure, more of them are willing to choose a bike for commuting and everyday trips.

Building a network people can rely on

The Peacock Road project is another important step towards a connected cycling network across metropolitan Adelaide.

Individual sections of good infrastructure are valuable, but their benefits multiply when they join existing routes and remove gaps between communities and key destinations. By strengthening a major southern approach to the city, Peacock Road will help make riding a more practical transport choice for people travelling from Adelaide’s inner-southern suburbs and beyond.

BikeSA congratulates the City of Adelaide on progressing this project, along with the Australian and South Australian governments for supporting it through the National Road Safety Program.

We look forward to seeing the new route completed and carrying riders safely into the city. We also hope it provides further momentum for an expanded network of separated bikeways, giving more South Australians the confidence to choose a bike for their everyday journeys.

Learn more about the Peacock Road Cycle Route