A share with care pathway to get cyclists off Fenton St is under way.
The $200,000 pathway is expected to be finished by January.
The Rotorua District Council project will offer cyclists a safe off-road link from the Amohou St and Fenton St intersection all the way to the Te Puia carpark on Hemo Rd, from where access is available to the Whakarewarewa mountainbike carpark. The pathway will have improved crossings at vehicle entrances and intersections along the way.
The project is part of the council's strategy to develop safe cycling facilities across the district and follows the establishment of cycling lanes in other parts of the city.
Council's works manager Peter Dine said the council's cycling strategy involved increasing the length of dedicated cycle lanes in Rotorua over time.
"The new wider 'share with care' pathway will also provide a link to the national cycleway, Te Ara Ahi, and also help get vulnerable cyclists off the road," he said.
"Unfortunately, a number of cyclists have been hit by cars along Fenton St. With the increasing popularity of mountainbiking for both locals and visitors to our city, it's great to be able to provide a facility that safely takes them from the city to the forest.
"We expect the new pathway to have high use and enhance people's road cycling experience in Rotorua."
The share with care path is part of the wider Fenton St upgrade project, which identified three new roundabouts for improving safety along the stretch of road.
"Since the two roundabouts at Devon St and Marguerita St intersections have been put in place, the crash rate on Fenton St has already significantly reduced," Mr Dine said. "So over time, we'll continue to monitor the crash rate with a view to re-evaluating whether or not the third roundabout at Robertson St will be necessary."