Hopes for cycleway by year’s end

THE Invercargill City Council hopes to complete work on the InvercargillBluff walking and cycling track by the end of the year.

The joint project, between Invercargill City Council and Environment Southland, started in 2010, but a series of delays has resulted in the completion of only the first section of the cycleway from Stead St Wharf to Awarua — about a third of the total length.

The project received NZ Transport Agency funding support in the 20182021 National Land Transport Funding round to complete the last leg of the work.

However, the work to complete the final 17.5km into Bluff has dragged on since then.

A report received by councillors early this month highlighted that the project continued to be behind schedule.

It stated the council has been working with the contractor to address the delays and some progress was made with up to three crews working on the project at any one time.

Council roading manager Russell Pearson told the Otago Daily Times the community had wanted the cycleway for many years.

An earlier completion date had been expected but a delay with the archaeological requirements of the project meant that the project started later, he said.

The current project was from Colyer Rd to Bluff township, which was about 17.5km. The base material was almost complete and the final resurfacing was still being worked on.

The contract value for the work was about $827,000, excluding project management costs and Mr Pearson said no significant additional cost had been incurred due to the delays.

He anticipated the work would be completed by November.

Bluff Community Board chairman Raymond Fife said the delays had been frustrating.

‘‘It is taken quite some time. The Bluff community has been raising the issue . . . could be about 10 years, maybe it was raised even before.

‘‘We’re finally seeing the end, which is good but it is still frustrating because it is taking quite some time.’’

The biggest concern of the community was safety, as part of the trail was on or nearly on State Highway 1.

He believed once the project was completed, it would give people more confidence and motivate people to use the cycleway.

The track will form part of the Te Araroa trail, a 3000km walking track spanning the length of New Zealand.