Here’s another guest post from local regular Robert:
The post from Lennyboy on October 13th would have lifted the spirits of any wannabe cycleway enthusiast. Since a picture can tell a 1000 words, here is the evidence that what was reported in this post is indeed true. All photos were taken during the first week of November.
Little River Link Cycleway
Installing the lighting in preparation for path widening. Between Wrights and Annex Roads: 
Improvements to the Wrights Road Crossing about to start: 
Brougham Street Crossing between Collins Street and Simeon Street: 
Collins Street cul-de-sac construction: 
Collins Street Intersection improvements with Macaulay Street south of Church Square:
Papanui Parallel Cycleway
Edgeware Road and Trafalgar Street intersection, markings for traffic calming measures: 
The cycleway will progress from the left side of Trafalgar Street to turn left onto Edgeware Road to a signalised crossing to continue down Colombo Street: 
Rutland Street north of Innes Road, one of the more contentious areas during the consultation process, due to the difficulty of maintaining as many off street car parks as possible without the removal of trees: 
Sawyers Arms Road just short of the northwest beginning of the cycleway where it joins at the railway crossing with the Northern Line cycleway: 
Rapanui / Shag Rock Cycleway
Pavement markings starting to map out pipes and cables around Olliviers Rd: 
First signs of construction work on England St: 
As encouraging reports from SCIRT emerge detailing that a good percentage of the infrastructure rebuild is completed, including many roads and bridges, it is likely that the traffic delays, extra road cones and general disruption for pedestrians, cyclists, motorists, businesses and home-owners will not go down too well with many. The construction schedule for the Papanui Parallel route is timed so that the major intersections (particularly Main North Road area) will have minimal work done during the pre-Christmas busy period. The best way to temper the possible backlash would be to use your bike as much as possible. Show the motoring public that this is all for a very good cause.
At the same, consider that motorists will be frustrated too so try to be as courteous as possible without putting yourself at risk. If you claim the lane to get through a narrowed work site, best to claim the lane properly, or walk on the footpath (assuming there is one!!). A half-hearted attempt is asking for grief.
If all goes to plan it is expected to have the works currently started completed by the second quarter of 2017.
As the sign shows, consultation is now open for the next major cycleways, so there is more to come. Despite some disruption, it will be worth it in the end.
Have you started to notice the cycleway construction underway?