Wider Shared Pathways to be Built Across Mount Isa

Council has endorsed the construction of wider shared pathways to replace existing footpaths on Fourth Avenue, as well as along Urquhart Street and Tharrapatha Way.

The two Fourth Avenue pathways are a 760m-long section from Twenty-Third Avenue to Eleventh Avenue; and an 850m-long section from Eleventh Avenue to the Fourth Avenue bridge.

The 3.4km-long shared pathway on Urquhart Street and Tharrapatha Way will run from Milne Bay Road to Alma Street, while another 1km section will run from the Barkly Highway to Camooweal Street, via Sulphide and Alma streets.

Culverts on Tharrapatha Way will be widened in preparation for the shared path to be constructed in 2025-26.

At its August Ordinary Meeting on Wednesday, August 28, Council also agreed to apply for funding for the creation of an options analysis and detailed design for:

• A 325m-long shared pathway from the Fourth Avenue bridge to the Isa Street Bridge;
• A 1.23km-long off-road shared path from the Isa Street Bridge to Alma Street – or a shared footpath and/or on-road cycle lane along West Street, from Isa Street to Alma Street; and
• An inner CBD loop (West Street, Marian Street, East Street, Pamela Street, and Isa Street), forming a central shared path.

The works and options analyses will be partly funded by the Queensland Government’s Cycle Network Local Government Grant Program.

Council has approved $926,000 in the 2024-25 capital works budget – and $1.17 million in the 2025-26 capital works budget – for the pathways.

Anticipated funding from the State Government’s Cycle Network Local Government Grant Program for the 2024-25 financial year is $981,300, and $3.27 million for the 2025-26 financial year.

At August 28's Ordinary Meeting, Deputy Mayor Kim Coghlan said the existing footpaths will need to be removed as part of the project, in order to meet the requirements of the funding Council has received/will receive.

"It’s a complete project, so anything there has to get removed, and put in for new," Cr Coghlan said.

"I think this is going to be very welcomed in our community, especially with Tharrapatha Way, which is well used every day, especially on Saturdays with Park Run."