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Wairoa cycleway on State Highway 2 between Bethlehem and Te Puna is open just in time for the summer holidays, says Tauranga City Council.
The last 800m section, between Wairoa Bridge and Bethlehem, completed this week, completes the final section of the scenic 19km Ōmokoroa to Tauranga cycleway.
Tauranga City Council Team Leader of cycle plan implementation Karen Hay says the new cycleway is a great addition to the area’s cycleway network, which gives people options for how they want to travel.
“This connection allows people to safely cross the Wairoa River bridge and continue their journey between Ōmokoroa to Tauranga without the risk of sharing this section of road with trucks and cars.
“Combined with the reduced speed limit along this section of State Highway 2, this area is now much safer for all road users. With summer holidays just around the corner, I hope people get ready to pump up their tyres.”
The cycleway, which began as part of the Urban Cycleways Programme project has been a collaborative project between Western Bay of Plenty District Council, the NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, interest groups and iwi.
“The result is a fantastic asset for our community,” says Karen.
“It’s great to see the last piece of this cycleway complete, providing an opportunity for people to access and appreciate the beautiful environment we live in here in the Western Bay," says NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi Bay of Plenty system manager Roger Brady.
"This is the culmination of significant investment and effort from partners, we are looking forward to seeing the community enjoy it.”
The cycleway takes people under the Wairoa Bridge, and up the Waimarino side of the road to a new signalised crossing - traffic lights - at the top of the hill, which are now operational.
The crossing was initially planned to provide safe connection to surrounding areas and has been constructed early to support the cycleway project.
It enables people to cross State Highway 2 to Carmichael Road and connect to cycle paths at Gordon Carmichael Reserve to the city.
Drivers are asked to be alert to the new roading design, including the crossing, which when activated by cyclists will pause traffic for around 20 seconds, as well as the reduced speed limit.
People on bikes should slow down and be mindful of other users while travelling under the bridge.
More information including a map of the Wairoa cycleway
More information about the Ōmokoroa to Tauranga cycleway
8 comments
Fiasco
Posted on 14-12-2023 07:52 | By Kancho
Another complete costly stuff up . Two wrongs making it even more wrong. The lane on the bridge built then the debacle of changing lanes to the other side of the road.
What are the rules
Posted on 14-12-2023 08:25 | By Womby
Is it illegal for cyclists to come down the hill on the marae side of the road facing the traffic now that the other side of the road has been made a cycle track? I saw a cyclist coming down there earlier this week and wondered why they were not using the safer option.
A Christmas miracle
Posted on 14-12-2023 08:57 | By an_alias
Not only late but over budget and lets face it probably the worst design money can buy.
Thats the TCC moto
Right then!!
Posted on 14-12-2023 10:35 | By The Professor
Now Council and the Police need to ensure cyclists use this expensive stuff up and fine cyclists who use the road bridge as a short cut!! I can just see the cyclists bombing down the hill and then taking the easy option of using the road bridge - this needs to be made illegal.....some "No Cyclists" signs now need to go up on the road bridge.......if there is any money left after fixing the stuff up. please to see that railings have gone up on the Marae side to stop cyclists.......higher ones may need to be installed if they start jumping these though. I noticed this morning that the anti-skid surface at the new lights is already breaking up!!
@ the Proffesor
Posted on 14-12-2023 11:50 | By Kancho
Will be interesting as it is now a 50 Kph zone and the bridge is public open road that I would think is legal for cyclist to ride on as it is throughout New Zealand . Is there anywhere a law of compulsion for cyclists? Certainly a shorter distance to ride going over a relatively short bridge probably less than the twenty seconds at the crossing that will stop everything
Better than nothing.
Posted on 14-12-2023 12:02 | By Samwell
Looking forward to using this every day. One less car on the road
Cyclist
Posted on 14-12-2023 19:46 | By Ale
As a commuter I want to get from a to b as fast and as easy as possible, will still be using the road, thanks for the waste of money tcc!
What about the congestion of traffic???
Posted on 15-12-2023 18:49 | By Dee236
They fast tracked the cycle lanes but not the new road to ease congestion along that very road. This council has more money than sense. Oh and adding the many unnecessary signage the new crossing has is just ridiculous. I think I counted 8 or 10 at the lights which looks just confusing.
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