High school, Hagley Park cycleway work starts

Contractors have started work building new sections of the Uni-Cycle cycleway.

Fulton Hogan is building the 165 metre section past Christchurch Boys' High School and 1.2 kilometre shared path through North Hagley Park.

"When this new work is completed later this year, a significant portion of the Uni-Cycle route will be built to Major Cycle Routes standard," says Councillor Phil Clearwater, the chair of the Infrastructure, Transport and Environment Committee.

"Getting these sections built will provide a safe convenient way for people to ride from Riccarton Bush past Christchurch Boys' High School, Mona Vale and Christchurch Girls' High School into Hagley Park and to the Central City at Armagh Street."

The full route connects the University of Canterbury to the Central City via a number of schools and attractions.

The latest work is expected to take about three months to complete, says the Council's Head of Transport, Chris Gregory.

"While the cycleway is being built, contractors will do what they can to minimise disruption, however, there is likely to be some impact on movements through the area. Those who need to travel through the construction area are encouraged to allow extra time to get where they want to go and look out for other people in vehicles, riding or walking."

People passing through North Hagley Park will need to be aware that the path to Armagh Street is being widened and won't be able to be used. They will need to take an alternative route through the park to avoid the construction area.

Jim Harland, NZ Transport Agency Southern Regional Director says, “It is great to see such good progress being made on the city’s cycleway network which is essential in making cycling a more attractive and safe travel choice.

“Each one of these cycleways is critical to the development of a network that will enable more people to have a choice to safely cycle to work, school or recreational activities.”

The Uni-Cycle route is the highest priority for construction among the Council's network of 13 Major Cycle Routes and is funded as part of the government's Urban Cycleways Programme.

One of the first pieces to be built was a separated cycleway alongside Matai Street East and crossing of Deans Avenue into Hagley Park. In February, an average of 890 cyclists used the new signalised crossing every weekday, up from 590 a day in November and three times the number using it in September, its first month of operation.

At the same time, the number of cyclists using the nearby crossing at Kilmarnock St has risen from 550 to 630 a day.

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