No cycleway for new bridge
The new Manawatu¯ River Bridge will be without a dedicated cycleway, meaning cyclists will have to brave highway traffic to cross.
Work has been under way since 2017 to replace both the Manawatu¯ River Bridge and the Whirokino Trestle on State Highway 1, which run across the flood plain outside Foxton, with a new bridge that meets modern safety standards.
The replacement bridge, which will become part of SH1 near Foxton, will have a shoulder for cyclists, but the New Zealand Transport Agency has said there will be no clip-on cycleway, much to the disappointment of a residents’ group and the Horowhenua District Council.
In a statement, transport agency regional transport systems manager Mark Owen said it was upgrading the Ken Everett walking and cycle path that runs through the floodway as part of the bridge project.
‘‘In the event the floodway is in flood and inaccessible, the bridge is being built with 1.5-metre wide shoulders so cyclists can safely use the bridge alongside vehicles.’’
Cyclists wanting to cross the Manawatu¯ River will need to use the bridge, because there is no other way to get across.
A clip-on cycleway had been suggested, but wasn’t included in the project. Any such request would need to be considered in the agency’s next National Land Transport Plan, Owen said.
Concerned Residents of Whirokino Trestle spokesman Sam Ferguson said the 1.5m shoulder was not enough to provide safety for cyclists. Only ‘‘strong and fearless’’ cyclists would attempt to cycle across the bridge, he said.
‘‘A strip of paint doesn’t protect cyclists. It won’t get usage . . . No-one is going to take their child on that bridge.’’
The residents’ group was pushing to save the old bridge to use as a cycleway, but the district council favoured a clip-on cycleway, because the old structure would require $1 million of repairs, as well as ongoing maintenance costs.
Horowhenua mayor Michael Feyen said the council would continue to have ‘‘stern negotiations’’ with the transport agency about having a clip-on cycleway installed on to the bridge.
‘‘A clip-on is an absolute necessity,’’ Feyen said.
‘‘I don’t think the shoulder will be very safe if there’s two trucks crossing the bridge at the same time.’’
Owen said the first vehicles would cross the new bridge just before Christmas. There will be traffic management in place while the agency completes the ‘‘tie-on’’ works – connecting the old road to the new one.
The existing bridge and trestle will be demolished once traffic is using the new bridge.
The demolition of the trestle will cost up to $700,000, while demolishing the old bridge will cost about $900,000.