Kāpiti students enjoy new shared path

Kāpiti students are among the many residents to benefit from a safer shared cycleway with improved access.

Paraparaumu College students now have a new direct access point to the Mazengarb Road shared path that starts right in front of their school.

The Mazengarb pathway connects to the new shared cycleway beside the Kāpiti Expressway and is the first of a network of off-road links being developed by the council under the $5million Stride ‘n’ Ride programme. (More on the Stride ‘n’ Ride programme attached.)

Mayor Ross Church and the school’s principal, Gregor Fountain, joined a group of students to test out the new facilities this week [May 3].

“Thanks to our cycle, walkway and bridleway initiatives, supported by our urban cycleways and National Land Transport Fund joint-funding arrangements with the New Zealand Transport Agency, we’re very pleased to have completed the shared pathway with a piece of work that particularly enhances safety for our cycling young people, as well as the wider community,” Mayor Church says.

“With winter weather on the way it’s great that we can provide a safer cycling environment for all our residents.”

Principal Fountain agreed, supporting the council’s continued work to improve safety for all pavement users.

“A high percentage of our students cycle to school throughout the term. Allowing them to ride right up to our gate safely, alongside our walking students, is definitely an improvement.”

The path outside the college was constructed through March and April at a cost of $58,000. The route links Paraparaumu College via the expressway cycleway to Makarini Street, with a mix of old and new shared paths.

The work involved removing the existing footpaths and laying a wider 2.5 metre footpath that will be more comfortably shared by walkers and cyclists. Further work will be undertaken at the intersection with Realm Drive to make it safer for cyclists and pedestrians using the shared path.

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