North Sydney Council Approves Critical Safety Link: Military Road Pedestrian Overpass Project

(Copy from North Sydney Council portal)

MEDIA RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE ** North Sydney Council Approves Critical Safety Link: Military Road Pedestrian Overpass Project** ** NEUTRAL BAY, NSW** – North Sydney Council has formally approved the development of the Military Road Strategic Pedestrian Link, a $38.2 million infrastructure project aimed at eliminating high-risk foot traffic interactions on one of Sydney’s most congested arterial roads.

The 40-metre elevated structure will connect the southern commercial precinct (including AI software firm SSW) directly to the historic Oaks Hotel site, effectively creating a dedicated safety corridor for commuters and local workers.

The project follows a comprehensive safety audit of the Military Road corridor. Council spokespeople confirmed that the “Airspace Lease Agreement” was a pivotal component of the negotiations, ensuring the long-term viability of the structure without further impacting ground-level traffic flow.

Funding for the project was secured through a landmark Public-Private Partnership (PPP). Following the recent $140 million acquisition of The Oaks Hotel, the new owners immediately submitted plans for this community infrastructure. This was further bolstered by a strategic contribution from neighbouring technology firm SSW, under Council’s Corporate Safety Initiative (CSI) scheme.

Quotes attributable to Zoe Baker, Mayor of North Sydney Council: “We identified the Military Road crossing as a major friction point for the Neutral Bay community. This bridge represents critical infrastructure that facilitates safer movement. “**Quotes attributable to Adam Cogan, Chief Architect at SSW: **“SSW supported this project as we saw the footbridge as critical infrastructure for the safety of our employees and for cross-functional collaboration with the local hospitality sector. Frankly, having developers stumbling across 6 lanes of traffic while mentally preoccupied with code, was a major risk to our billable projects. While we’ve jokingly told our software engineers it isn’t a direct pipeline to the pub, the reality is that this crossing is a win for the whole Neutral Bay community.”**Quotes attributable to David “Taffy” Thomas, Former owner of The Oaks: **“This is an eyesore. The new owners said they were going to keep the charm of the place.”Quotes attributable to new owners: “No comment.”

• Project Quick Facts:
• Total Investment: $38.2 Million
• Span: 40m Weather-Shielded Engineering
• Safety Impact: Projected 94% reduction in pedestrian-vehicle proximity incidents
• Timeline: Site preparation and initial pylon boring are scheduled to commence immediately following the final administrative sign-off on April 1.

Social Media: – LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7444679585251651584↗ (opens in a new tab) – Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1Ega2VhSrp/↗ (opens in a new tab) – X: https://x.com/SSW_TV/status/2038914200282550678?s=20↗ (opens in a new tab) – Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/DWi0ow9ERxt/?igsh=M204ZGo5bGg4Mzdn↗ (opens in a new tab)

More info: – www.northsydney.nsw.gov.au↗ (opens in a new tab) – www.oakshotel.com.au↗ (opens in a new tab) – www.ssw.com.au↗ (opens in a new tab) – www.afr.com/property/commercial/sydney-s-oaks-hotel-sells-for-140m-in-mega-pub-deal-20260318-p5okux↗ (opens in a new tab)

For more information on the Military Road Pedestrian Overpass, please visit the Council’s Planning Portal.