Wellington cycleway approved

NZ Transport Agency has welcomed the decision by an Expert Consenting Panel to approve the Ngā Ūranga ki Pito-One (Ngauranga to Petone) section of Te Ara Tupua - the shared path connecting Wellington and Lower Hutt. NZTA Director of Regional Relationships Emma Speight says: “Te Ara Tupua will make cycling, walking and running between Wellington and the Hutt Valley a safe and attractive option for more people. By 2030 we estimate around 2,200 weekday cycle trips on the new path – more than three times the number of cycle trips made on State Highway 2 today. “This will be the Wellington region’s largest ever walking and cycling project, made even more complex by the need to work in the harbour’s coastal environment. The consent decision reflects the hard work by NZTA and our partners over the last few years to ensure we get the right environmental outcomes as part of this essential transport link.” The project is expected to support about 330 jobs, counting those directly employed by the project and in businesses providing supplies and services to the project. If funding is approved, the first enabling work on the project could begin in mid-2021 and will take about three years to complete.