What Changed?

South Dowling Street shrank from three lanes to two in each direction, while Crown and Bourke Streets were transformed into two-way streets, effectively peeling off through-traffic and giving the local community breathing room. 

With commuters rerouted into the tunnel, Crown Street emerged as a more walkable, safer, and street-level destination. Road blocks and no through roads were installed in surrounding neighbourhoods to keep the street from reverting to a high-speed thoroughfare.

More recently, the City of Sydney rolled out a $34m project focused on enhancing streetscape and pedestrian amenity between Devonshire and Oxford Streets.

Community Involvement

As traffic ebbed, Crown Street started sprouting its now-famous identity. Cafes, pubs, vintage boutiques, and eclectic eateries transformed the once utilitarian road into a cultural spine.

Residents played a pivotal role in the City of Sydney transformation, through extensive community consultation. over 600 pieces of feedback shaped the plan, and an independent peer review ensured it would meet local needs. 

Outcomes

• Widened footpaths and improved intersections, offering more space for walking and lingering

• Undergrounded power cables and sleek new smart-poles with LED lighting

• Street furniture: garden beds, bubblers, benches, bike racks

• 50 percent increase in canopy cover – 40 new trees planted

• No net loss of car parking – actually, a gain of 10 more spots

Benefits

• Traffic calmed by the Eastern Distributor tunnel, giving way to a two-way, pedestrian-friendly street
• Cultural heart of Surry Hills revived: eclectic, bohemian, yet evolving with new retail and dining
• Urban upgrade balancing greenery, public infrastructure, and heritage
• Community-led transformation, dovetailing public works with grassroots input

Photos