Mauao cycleway group works on creative angles for submission to council

Cyling at Mount Maunganui could be ramped up if a custom cycleway gets the go ahead. Photo/file

The group behind the proposal for a 13.6km cycleway loop around Mount Maunganui is putting creative ideas on the table for its submission.

Bike Mount has been working on a submission to city council, including its ideas on how it could become an iconic, playful, creative and distinctly local attraction.

Heidi Hughes of Bike Mount said some of the ideas being played with included a lane of fruit trees down one section of the cycleway, a local artist painting another section and sculptural bike racks.

"We have all sorts of ideas on how we could create it into something more than just a transport route - it could be something that engages people and becomes a community project," Ms Hughes said.

The proposed loop would be a separated cycle pathway looping from Bayfair, down Oceanbeach and Maunganui Rds, to Pilot Bay, the base of Mauao and Marine Parade.

Tauranga City Council had already earmarked money for cycleway projects on Totara St, Marine Parade, and Maunganui Rd.

Bike Mount's proposed look would link up those projects to create a full loop pathway.

The cycleway on Totara St was in the design phase and would be an off-road pathway for people who want to walk or ride between Hewletts Rd and Hull Rd.

The Marine Parade project was also in the design phase to improve safety for people riding bikes.

Both projects were planned for the next financial year.

The Maunganui Rd project was still in early stages, looking at ways to improve safety for people walking or riding in a few different areas along the road.

Ms Hughes said Bike Mount's submission would include a timeframe of three years for the completed project of the whole loop.

"We're still gathering bits and pieces but we want to show there's a whole lot of different ideas from the community - we're getting as many ideas in the hat now," she said.

"We're playing with a lot of ideas for how it could be a fun, iconic and inclusive pathway."

She said the ideas would not require council to fork out major amounts of money, rather they were creative ways without needing a huge amount of money - "things to get more people out there using a cycleway".

April 20 was the last day to submit the proposal.

Mauao cycleway

- Bike Mount believes the cycleway could be the answer to Mount Maunganui's traffic, parking and congestion issues
- Requires The Mall to become one-way with traffic heading towards Mauao. Parallel parks would become angle parks.
- Requires Adams Ave to become partially one-way, replacing 20 parallel parks with 20 angle parks.