George Street, once one of Sydney’s busiest and most traffic-choked thoroughfares, is on the verge of completing its transformation into a fully pedestrianised boulevard stretching 2.5 kilometres from Central Station to Circular Quay.
The final stage of the decades-long project is now before the public, with a proposal to extend the pedestrian boulevard from Essex Street to Alfred Street.
If approved, the City of Sydney, working with the support of the NSW government, expects to complete this last missing link by late 2028.
The plan calls for closing the eastern side of George Street to traffic and converting it into a pedestrian space flush with the footpath, mirroring the central plaza already in place between Bathurst and Hunter streets.
The redesigned area would include seating, trees, lighting and paving extending up to the light rail tracks.
On the western side, a single vehicle lane would remain, carrying southbound traffic only.
The proposal also calls for the removal of the signalised intersections at Essex and George streets, and at Alfred and George streets, streamlining the corridor for pedestrians.
Together, these changes would convert 39,000 square metres of former roadway into what the City of Sydney describes as a greener, safer and more people-friendly environment, completing a vision for George Street that has guided city planning for years.
The project’s benefits extend well beyond public space. Since construction began, the City of Sydney has invested more than $300 million in pedestrianising and beautifying George Street.
That investment has helped attract more than $8 billion in private investment along the corridor, according to the City.
Businesses along the strip have reported gains from increased foot traffic, improved public amenity and expanded opportunities for outdoor dining and activation, a trend the final stage of the project is expected to reinforce as it extends into The Rocks precinct.
Lord Mayor of Sydney Clover Moore AO said the project marks a defining point in the city’s development.
“This final section represents a defining moment in Sydney’s evolution as a global city, we’ve created the kind of public space people expect in leading international cities,” she said.
Minister for Transport, the Arts, and Music and the Night-Time Economy John Graham pointed to the change already visible in the corridor, noting that the reclaimed outdoor dining space in The Rocks has been a great boost for the historic harbourside precinct and that the upcoming work will lock in those gains and make the area even more appealing.
The concept design, local access plan and environmental factors associated with the final stage are open for public comment until 5 pm on Monday, 26 October.
Community feedback gathered during this period will be reviewed by the City of Sydney before a final proposal is presented to Council for approval in November.
If the proposal proceeds as planned, the completed boulevard will represent the culmination of one of the most significant city-shaping infrastructure projects in Sydney’s recent history, closing the loop on a vision that began with the removal of traffic congestion and has evolved into a broader reimagining of how the city centre functions as a public space.
