Motorists using State Highway 25 in the Coromandel should expect delays around the Piako River Bridge, near Pipiroa.

Starting today, the highway will be closed intermittently for 10 minutes, about four times per day, to allow for a clip-on cycleway to be craned into place and attached to the bridge.

The closures will take place daily between 8am and 5pm, and will be repeated over the coming weeks until all 17 spans are put in place.

The exact timing of the closures will be determined on the day because of the complexity of the job.

New Zealand Transport Agency journey manager Liam Ryan says people could face delays of 15 minutes or longer and should plan their journeys accordingly.

The 250m lightweight steel and timber clip-on cycle lane is a key piece of the Kopu to Kaiaua section of the Hauraki Rail Trail and will provide a safe river crossing for trail users separate from motorists on SH25.

The Kopu to Kaiaua section is expected to be complete before winter and will join the already existing legs of the trail between Te Aroha and Thames and Paeroa and Waihi.

Hauraki District Council, Thames-Coromandel District Council and the NZTA have each contributed $1 million to the $4.2m cost of building the final leg of the trail. A further $1.2 million is still needed to cover the last 15km from Pūkorokoro/Miranda to Kaiaua.

In the interim, this section can be covered on the East Coast Road which sees relatively little traffic.

Auckland Council is also looking at the possibility of building a cycleway from the city to Kaiaua to link up to the trail.

For more on the Hauraki Rail Trail visit the Thames-Coromandel District Council website at: www.tcdc.govt.nz/hrt