New pedestrian crossings for Canberra schools in ACT Budget 2023-24

The ACT government will also explore the feasibility for a controlled pedestrian crossing near St Edmund's and St Clare's colleges on Canberra Avenue.

The government will spend $2.4 million to install the crossings in the upcoming ACT budget.

Path maintenance will also get a boost, with the government allocating more than $5 million to repair work.

There will be $3 million spent to upgrade paths around Lake Ginninderra to help better connect playgrounds, picnics and parks around the edge of the lake.

The path between Bowen Park and the Kingston Foreshore will also undergo a $2.6 million upgrade.

The government will spend $10.4 million on a planned cycling route to connect Watson to Braddon. This will be the first stage of the Garden City Cycle Route.

The federal government has previously allocated $5 million to the cycling path.

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Transport Minister Chris Steel said the funding would better connect the city's path network and would hopefully encourage more Canberrans to walk and ride.

"The focus of these upgrades is providing safe infrastructure for walking and cycling, to make it more attractive to take up these sustainable forms of travel," he said.

"Every journey that Canberrans take on foot, by bike, skateboard or scooter helps make our city cleaner, healthier and less congested."

Chief Minister Andrew Barr said the investment in active travel infrastructure would support Canberra as a sustainable city.

"Canberra consistently ranks highly as one of Australia's best destinations for cycling, and we know that by making the right investments now our city will benefit for decades to come," he said.

"Giving people more ways to get around, be it through major cycling routes between town centres and employment hubs, better access to local shopping centres or making it safer for students to walk to school benefits our entire community and improves our quality of life."

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