Putting the pedal to the cycleway metal

Work on Christchurch’s cycleways is picking up speed. Christchurch City Council Planning and Delivery Transport Manager Lynette Ellis says the cycle “links” are rapidly extending across the city – from a coastal path to a quarry trail. Contractors are making good progress on the Linwood Avenue section of the Rapanui-Shag Rock cycleway. “Work is already under way on the Heathcote Expressway, between the city and The Tannery in Woolston,” Ms Ellis says. Construction has started on the Charles Street route that continues to Mackenzie Avenue, Sheldon Street and Cumnor Terrace before connecting to The Tannery. “Design work is being completed on the Wilsons Road and Ferry Road section, and work will start in the next couple of months,” Ms Ellis says. In the city, a section of the Quarryman’s Trail in Antigua Street – between Moorhouse Avenue and Brougham Street – is open to cyclists. The complete section between the city and Hoon Hay will be finished about May. On the coastal route, the next stage of the Rapanui – Shag Rock Cycleway is forging ahead, with paving being laid between the trees in the Linwood Avenue median. Cofferdams – enclosures built in the water to create a dry work environment for construction – have also been built by the Linwood Canal to help with the work at the Dyers Road end of the cycleway. The first stage – between the city and Linwood Park – was completed late last year. “The final stage – from Dyers Road to the Ferrymead Bridge and the start of the Coastal Pathway – is in the end stages of the design process,” Ms Ellis says. “The momentum is certainly building as more people get on board with the cycleway plan. By making cycling an attractive and user-friendly option, we are, in turn, creating a healthier city that links multiple communities.”