IT'S wheely good news for cyclists in the Northern Rivers as nearly $1m in funding will go towards improvement to cyclepaths.

The NSW Government has announced almost $1 million in funding for Stage 2 of the Lismore Cycling Towns project for improvements to cycleways and shared paths across Lismore.

In 2016, Lismore Council received $1.1 million for Stage 1 and the announcement of an additional $917,000 will allow council to connect areas of Lismore Heights and Goonellabah to the existing cycleway network that leads into the CBD.

Next up with be Stage 3 of the project to link a cycleway from Richmond Hill Road down to the existing network, creating an uninterrupted 11.6km cycleway/shared path from Goonellabah right into the heart of Lismore.

While Stage 3 is currently unfunded, council has applied for funding to complete this final stage.

Council's general manager Gary Murphy who attended the opening of the Captain Rous MTB Trails on Sunday, reckons it's a great result for the local cycling community.

"This is wonderful news for all cyclists in Lismore,” Mr Murphy said.

"The benefits of cycling are well known, but without infrastructure to support that, the message is hollow.”

Mr Murphy said it's all about giving people a choice to use two wheels or four.

"This project will ensure that people who choose to use their bike instead of the car have a safe way to do so,” he said.

"The more we can limit the use of cars and choose to cycle, the better it is for our health as a community and our environment.”

The project includes a mixture of widened pathways to accommodate cyclists, new off-road cycleways and new on-road cycleways.

It will connect the elevated suburbs of Richmond Hill, Goonellabah and Lismore Heights to Lismore's CBD and provide missing links and new connections to a number of locations including Southern Cross University, TAFE, schools, commercial/retail areas, aged care facilities and recreational facilities.

The funding is part of the NSW Government's Active Transport Cycling Towns Program.

Stage 2 of the project will be completed in 2017/18.