The existing gravel R.G.Menzies Walk will be replaced by a 4.5m-wide, 2km-long concrete promenade between the Commonwealth Avenue and Kings Avenue bridges.

A new bridge will also be built over Nerang Pool.

The promenade will also have lighting along the way.

Seating, bubblers, picnic areas and landscaping will be installed.

And a new ramp and stairs will connect the walkway to the Kings Avenue Bridge on the northern side.

Work is to start next month and continue until June or July next year, going in stages to fit in major events around the lake including Skyfire and Australia Day celebrations.

National Capital Authority acting managing director of planning, urban design and projects Andrew Smith said the work was to have started this month but had been postponed until Floriade, which finishes next Sunday, was completely packed up.

The R.G.Menzies Walk reconstruction is the first project under the Canberra Central Parklands master plan which is being finalised by Oxigen Landscape Architects.

Mr Smith said, ''It was always the intention to do a big lakeside walk as part of the masterplan and because so many people use it and it is pretty dilapidated, we've chosen to move ahead with what was always going to be the first project at the same time as finalising the masterplan.''

The R.G.Menzies Walk was opened by then prime minister John Howard in February 2006.

It was always intended the gravel path would be replaced by a ''continuous, fully accessibly promenade'' between the bridges.

The NCA received 49 online and 13 hard copy submissions during community consultation which started last November.

Suggestions were made that an asphalt walkway would be better for cyclists and runners, while others believed a gravel path was more cost-effective. However, the NCA's consultation report said asphalt would be susceptible to tree roots and also heat-generating, while gravel was not suitable for bikes, skates or wheelchairs.

It said concrete was the safest and most cost-effective option and could also allow some decorative detail.

Others who put in submissions welcomed the addition of lighting.