NZ Transport Agency will build Te Awa underpass on SH21 at Tamahere

Hamilton Mayor Paula Southgate and Deputy Mayor Geoff Taylor trying out the Te Awa River Path after the reopening of a section through Hamilton in January. Photo / Supplied

Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency will start work on the Tamahere section of the Te Awa River ride in March.

Construction will begin with an underpass by the park to the north of Wiremu Tamihana Drive as part of the Te Awa shared path between Cambridge and Hamilton.

Waka Kotahi acting portfolio delivery manager Jo Wilton says: "This underpass will provide a safe connection under SH21, not only for Tamahere residents but for the thousands of walkers and cyclists that are expected to use Te Awa each month."

The SH21 underpass will be between the Waikato sports fields and the Tamahere Country Club. Image / Supplied

The location and design of the underpass was discussed with the local community, iwi and other key community groups and it was decided to include designs reflecting the history and importance of the Tamahere area to mana whenua.

The Waipa section of Te Awa will be built in four different sections by Waka Kotahi, Waipā District Council, Waikato District Council and Hamilton City Council because it traverses three district boundaries.

The section includes 3km of 3m-wide concrete path, 1.4km of boardwalks, two bridges, drainage, culverts, landscaping and fencing which will be placed alongside the Waikato River.

Both the underpass and the full Te Awa path between Cambridge and Hamilton are expected to be complete and open to cyclists and walkers by the end of this year.

NZTA contributed $2.95 million. Another $2.84m came from the Provincial Development Unit, following the council's successful application to the Infrastructure Industry Reference Group for "shovel ready" project funding during the Covid-19 level 4 lockdown last year.

Waipā District Council is also contributing $1.14m of loan-funded resources into the community asset.

The $5.92m construction contract was awarded by Waipā District Council to Cambridge-based Civil Construction Services.

The new section will run from Hamilton Gardens to Cambridge's Avantidrome, linking together the existing routes that will make up the full 60km Te Awa River Ride.

The full path will run from Ngaruawahia through Hamilton and Cambridge to Horahora, south of Lake Karapiro. It is estimated the Cambridge to Hamilton shared path may be used by up to 225 walkers and cyclists each day.

The Te Awa shared path includes riding over the award-winning Perry Cycle Bridge that opened in 2017 at Ngaruawahia.