There has been a 35 per cent increase in the number of weekday cyclists riding on bike paths in Marcus Clarke Street since the first stage of the civic cycle loop opened in March last year.

And weekend traffic has more than doubled on the cycle-way, which will be expanded this year to include Bunda and Allara streets.

The $6 million, 3.2-kilometre cycle route is being built to encourage residents to swap their cars for bikes when travelling in Civic.

In May and June last year, 218 people on average were using the first stage of the loop each weekday.

Counts taken on Marcus Clarke Street in December show that figure has grown to 293 per day, while the number of weekend cyclists has grown from 70 to 143 per day.

Territory and Municipal Services Minister Shane Rattenbury said the increase was encouraging, but he expected greater figures later.

''We'll need a full year's data to get a better idea but this highlights the fact that people are responding to good infrastructure and taking advantage of it,'' he said. ''With more people living in and around the city, hopefully it indicates more people are riding into the city … rather than taking the car.

''As more of the civic cycle loop is completed, I would expect the numbers to continue to rise.''

Mr Rattenbury said the jump in weekend figures showed the infrastructure was becoming more popular with recreational cyclists.

''What I'm observing now is not only commuters but also people who ride as a leisure thing to the New Acton precinct,'' he said.

''They leave the car at home now because they feel safer - which was the key thing [for this project].''

Work on the next stages of the project will begin early this year, with the full 3.2 kilometres to be completed by the end of the year.

The government also will publish soon the design for its redevelopment of Bunda Street, to make the shopping strip a shared space for pedestrians, cyclists and motorists.

The design will include lowering the speed limit to make the area safer for road users.