Another little bit of cycling good news a week or so back was the confirmation of the route for the final stage of the Rapanui / Shag Rock Major Cycle Route between Dyers Rd and Ferrymead Bridge.
The original route considered for consultation had proposed running the cycleway alongside the estuary edge with a reconstructed seawall. However, there had been concerns by some groups about the ecological impacts on the adjacent estuary.
After much deliberation over the past couple of years with various stakeholder groups, the Urban Development and Transport Committee of City Council finally decided to relocate the route to follow an existing path through the Charlesworth Reserve instead. The current gravel route will be sealed and widened.
While the confirmed route addresses concerns around the estuary impact, it does come with its own issues in terms of personal security (especially at night), being a relatively isolated pathway. As well as trying to improve visibility near vegetation and additional lighting, work will also be done to improve the relative comfort of the on-road cycle lanes along Humphreys Drive to provide a valid alternative.
This cycleway section is part of the “shovel ready” funding received recently from Government, so it needs to get underway soon. Once detailed design is complete, construction should begin by next June.
What do you think of the proposed Rapanui cycleway route?
I worry that another cyclist-only crossing just adds more frustration for drivers.
If the crossing of Humphreys Drive were integrated with the lights at Ferry Road then it would be less likely to interrupt the flow. As cyclists we all know how annoying it is to stop and give up your momentum.
Traffic stopped for the light would see cyclists and cars crossing the intersection, rather than stopping just for cyclists only a couple hundred metres from the last intersection.
Looks like someone wanted to use the Tidleview road.
I agree with the comments about the crossing at Tidal View. The crossing should go to the lights. The current way exposes younger cyclists to too much risk on a busy road. Putting crossing or lights in so close to traffic lights would just aggravate drivers.