Cambridge cycleway on Hamilton Rd set to open this week

The two-way cycleway and footpath alongside Hamilton Rd through Payne Park. Photo / Supplied

Waipā's first two-way cycleway is taking shape rapidly, with one part set to open late this week.

Cambridge residents will then have the chance to test out their wheels or go for a walk alongside the Hamilton Rd part of the path, from Vogel St through Payne Park. Once complete, the cycleway will connect to several shared paths and stretch from the Victoria Rd roundabout out to the Avantidrome.

Waipā District Council service delivery group manager Dawn Inglis said all that is needed before the section could open is line marking and concrete on the final portion of pathway.

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"The cycleway and footpath are looking fantastic. They have made Payne Park much more accessible and will give residents the opportunity to use that space in a way we couldn't before."

A raised platform has also been constructed across Vogel St and work is under way on the second section of cycleway from Vogel St to Hall St, which is due for completion in the coming weeks.

Inglis said the foundations were now visible in that section and contractors would soon be pouring the concrete and asphalt.

"This part of the project has required us to temporarily shut off Hall St to all traffic. This is to keep our contractors safe while they work and later, for them to transform the street into one-way access."

Once the one-way access is in place, vehicles will be able to exit left onto Hamilton Rd from Hall St but not enter Hall St. A similar change will also be made to the intersection of Grey St and Hamilton Rd to improve the effectiveness of the cycleway and reduce traffic volumes on those streets.

The project follows community feedback from the 2018 Cambridge Town Concept Plan Refresh, where more than 1700 people told the council improving the walking and cycling infrastructure was a top priority.

The project will run alongside the Streets for People project, which also aims to make the streets of Cambridge more pedestrian- and cyclist-friendly.

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