Works on the Wairoa Cycleway have begun this week.
The works are to construct the last 800m of the Ōmokoroa to Tauranga cycleway, which will enable safe cycling on the narrow strip of State Highway 2 between the Wairoa Bridge and Bethlehem.
Off-road work has begun on the underpass from the Wairoa River clip-on bridge that will lead to an on-road, two-way cycleway which crosses at Taniwha Place and continues along SH2 to a signalised crossing connecting to Carmichael Road, says a Tauranga City Council spokesperson.
"New kerb and channel is also being constructed at the entrance to Taniwha Place, where the left-hand slip lane will become part of the cycleway.
"Traffic management and restricted speed around the site will be required for the duration of the cycleway construction period which is expected to be about three months."
A map showing where the works are taking place.
Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency is expecting to start some major road resurfacing along the stretch of SH2 from Wairoa Bridge to Bethlehem in the next few weeks which will require overnight road closures in this area for about three days once it begins.
More information will be shared about this once the start date is confirmed.
A new speed limit of 50km/h will be activated between the Wairoa River Bridge and Bethlehem once the cycleway is completed.
For more information visit www.tauranga.govt.nz/wairoacycleway.
20 comments
WHAT
Posted on 04-05-2023 08:27 | By philiphallen
3 months of sh#t traffic congestion for a few cyclists. Yesterday it took me 45mins from Carines Garden Center to Bethlehem. At least I don't have to travel that route. I feel really sorry for the commuters who have too.
Cycle way
Posted on 04-05-2023 08:29 | By Robin
The cycleway over Wairoa should have been built on other side of the bridge originally. I do hope they are going to build a crash barrier on the North side of the bridge to protect the cycleway, opposite Wairoa road as there are a number of crashes there.
WHAT-2
Posted on 04-05-2023 08:34 | By philiphallen
Check out Google Maps this morning. Traffic backed up past the Omokaroa junction. All the roadworks for this project should be done at night. Totally unacceptable to cause so much disruption to so many people for so long.
thinker
Posted on 04-05-2023 08:35 | By Thinker
Imagine the hold ups when completed and cyclists push control to cross SH2, All heavy transport, loggers etc, come to dead stop on Wairoa hill and starting up again in low gears. Chaos and blockage in Bethlehem.
staged pic
Posted on 04-05-2023 09:18 | By dave4u
how much were the cyclist actors paid for that pic never seen anyone on it since its been fitted
How is this a
Posted on 04-05-2023 09:29 | By neighbour
Who ever thought up this genius idea has no idea of the traffic flow in this area. There is an existing cycle path on the road which is already used. They should just have fixed the link between the bridge and the road. Now there are multiple areas the cyclist can get hit along their journey and its much harder for cars to turn right from Taniwha Place onto the State Highway (which is already dangerous)
What - some more!
Posted on 04-05-2023 09:36 | By Wigan
Utterly stunned by the gross & obscene waste of money & time here, it really beggers belief! Surely for the couple of hundred metres from the bridge to Carmichael Rd they could have come up with a better plan! The bloody loop back for the cyclists is further than the actual total distance to travel. 1 consolation is there are so few cyclists the traffic light crossing wont cause any additional hold ups.
Complete stuff up!!
Posted on 04-05-2023 09:40 | By The Professor
This section of the cycleway (the bridge) has been a complete stuff up and heads should roll!! The cycle bridge should have been built on the other side of the road bridge and then the cyclists could have used the existing underpass!! All this money and congestion to satisfy a couple of cyclists that use the route a couple of times a month. @Thinker - makes a great point regarding the trucks. Decision makers linked with NZs infrastructure approval don't have a clue and need to be held to account. I also hope they make it impossible for cyclists to use the 'path' beyond the cycle bridge once this work is complete. I can just see some clowns saving time by continuing up the existing 'route' instead doubling back, going down a hill, under the road bridge and back up the other side. One big JOKE!!
Force cyclists to use the new route!!
Posted on 04-05-2023 09:46 | By The Professor
There needs to be some legislative controls established once the new route has been completed. Looking at the plans - if I was a cyclist, there is no way I would use the new route - too long and too much effort. I would continue up the hill on the same side the bridge is on, instead of doubling back, going down a hill, under the bridge and then back up the hill on the other side of the road. Authorities need to make it impossible and illegal for cyclists to avoid the new route and to issue fines where avoidance is achieved. Anywhere there are cycle lanes, cyclists should be fined for using a road instead of the lanes. I've seen idiots cycle over the Wairoa road bridge instead of the cycle bridge!!! That should be illegal.
From the beginning
Posted on 04-05-2023 09:54 | By Kancho
It's clear to everyone following this drawn out saga that it has been a planning cock up from the very beginning. Yet if course those responsible scurry away and hide and within the bureaucracy as always and culpability hidden
sh##t
Posted on 04-05-2023 10:33 | By @###
Three months of congestion this is bullsh#t, got stuck coming to work yesterday over an hour to travel which normally takes 20 minutes and then discovered same on way home last night, joined the traffic same again this morning but from what I believe the congestion was from these works all the way back to Omokoroa turnoff. I also agree stupid idea to put cycle way on other side of road then a crossing further up so cyclist can cross over watch the traffic build up over this. I travel this route like many others everyday to and from work and am not looking forward to the next three months of crawling.
Epic Fail TCC
Posted on 04-05-2023 12:04 | By Otumoetai Resident
I count 10 comments here & none of them are complimentary nor should they be. This has been a disaster. The only saving grace is so far nobody has been killed or injured. WBOPDC finished the other 24 sections of the cycle way about 3 years ago starting 8 years ago. TCC and NZTA are incompetent and irresponsible. Years and millions of $ wasted for a sub standard solution all to appease Wairoa Marae residents
Just FIX the actual roads for vehicles
Posted on 04-05-2023 12:15 | By Omni
We have nothing but traffic congestion all over the wider Tauranga region, people paying massive amounts in taxes for fuel and regos to give us usable, functioning and safe flowing road so people can get to and from, education facilities, workplaces, healthcare appointments and also spending money shopping which in turn helps the economy and region, and yet here is copious amounts of money is spent instead for the odd sight-seeing cyclists (very likely they are doing none of the above) and none of which I have ever seen using this pathway or bridge........What the actual????
NIMBYs
Posted on 04-05-2023 13:10 | By Samwell
Looking forward to using the bridge safely every day for my commute. You can thank the NIMBYs on the left side of the road going up the hill for any extra traffic from people using the signalised crossing. If you don’t want to get stuck in traffic while they’re constructing the cycle way you can always ride your bike - much safer now it’s a 30 zone
WASTE OF SPACE AND MONEY
Posted on 04-05-2023 14:30 | By Ben Dover
Its about time some of this taxpayers money was spent on something useful to the majority of people rather that pamper the handful of cyclists who think they own the planet sometimes!
thinker
Posted on 04-05-2023 15:36 | By Thinker
Does Nimbys tow a trailer,concrete mixer,barrows etc.????
Typical really.......
Posted on 04-05-2023 16:58 | By The Professor
Typical of cyclists - not bothered about the amount of money spent on them and not bothered about the mayhem they cause when on the roads. And this shows in the comments made by 'Samwell' - doesn't give a stuff about the fact that these works to appease a few is going to cause mayhem and misery for thousands of commuters trying to get to work to earn a living and to pay taxes to pay for ridiculous projects like this. About time cyclists paid towards their infrastructure through tolls and rego systems!
Bethlehem resident
Posted on 05-05-2023 14:09 | By Whatsisname
It’s nothing to do about what cyclists want it’s all about appeasing the local Marae. A dumb move. This will make it harder for them to get out of their drive as the traffic build up will be worse than ever. The cycle way should be on the left where it was originally planned.
Laughing stock!
Posted on 05-05-2023 18:21 | By Ben Dover
If this traffic situation wasn't so serious and protracted, it would be laughable! Even 3rd world countries do better than this.
Thinker and professor
Posted on 05-05-2023 20:03 | By Samwell
Thinker, If everyone who didn’t tow a trailer (commuters like myself) rode their bike, there would be no traffic to get stuck in. Professor, I am bothered by the cost but there’s nothing I can do. Also bothered by the $655m on the northern link.
Leave a Comment
You must be logged in to make a comment.