Council to consult on Kaiapoi-Woodend cycleway design

Nicole Mathewson Reporter from Northern Outlook

From local democracy reporter David Hill:

The much-anticipated Kaiapoi-Woodend cycleway is a step closer to becoming a reality.

The Kaiapoi-Tuahiwi and Woodend-Sefton community boards have given their approval for council staff to consult with the community on the design of the proposed cycleway.

But the Kaiapoi-Tuahiwi Community Board raised safety concerns with a section of it which passes through Ranfurly Street in Kaiapoi.

Council staff agreed to bring back some options to the board next month, ahead of the planned consultation in late April and May.

Kaiapoi-Tuahiwi Community Board chairperson Jackie Watson said she looked forward to hearing the feedback from the community.

‘‘It is going to make Kaiapoi a really fantastic place to cycle through.’’

Deputy mayor Neville Atkinson said it was ‘‘a mammoth exercise’’ from council staff to get the design ready for consultation.

‘‘There are some great design features and some areas which we can’t do much about.’’

Atkinson said he accepted there were some sections where there would need to be some ‘‘difficult compromises’’ with landowners and occupiers of road reserve land.

But he was looking forward to seeing the project proceed.

‘‘The public will tell us where we have got it right and where we have got it wrong, in no uncertain terms.’’

Waimakariri District Council civil projects team leader Kieran Straw said council staff would be joining with Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency staff to meet with the owners of Pine Acres Restaurant.

The cycleway would be passing Pine Acres alongside State Highway 1 and there were plans to close off the northern entrance to Pine Acres, as part of Waka Kotahi’s safety improvements.

Council staff also planned to produce a cultural sensitivity report alongside Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tūāhuriri, Straw said.

Woodend-Sefton Community Board chairperson Shona Powell said the Kaiapoi-Woodend and Woodend-Pegasus cycleways had been a long time coming.

‘‘It is going to complete that loop between Kaiapoi, Rangiora and Woodend and link with Pegasus, which we have been wanting for so long.

‘‘With the caravan park in Kaiapoi, a lot of them bring their bikes, so I can see them doing the loop around.

‘‘And it is good for Kaiapoi High School pupils (who live in Woodend and Pegasus), because they will have the choice to cycle to school if they want to.’’

Powell said the consultation would be a good opportunity to hear from cyclists to better understand ‘‘what will work and what won’t’’.

The council’s utilities and roading committee met on Tuesday and gave its approval to the designs, for consultation of the Kaiapoi-Woodend and Woodend-Pegasus cycleways, noting the Kaiapoi-Tuahiwi board's concerns.

Approval was also given for the design of an on-road cycle lane in Rangiora, while the designs for a second Rangiora cycleway were put on hold, after councillors sought more information.

The cycleway projects need to be completed by June next year, as a condition of Waka Kotahi’s transport choices funding, after the council received $6 million for the project, announced in December.