Final Whanganui section of Ngā Ara Tūhono Mountains to Sea Cycle Trail almost ready to ride

The 3m wide cycle path heading out to the North Mole is expected to be completed in the coming weeks. Photo / Bevan Conley

Cyclists will soon be able to test out the final Whanganui section of the Ngā Ara Tūhono Mountains to Sea Cycle Trail.

Whanganui District Council interim transportation manager Brent Holmes said the section of 3m-wide concrete path was expected to be fully completed in the coming weeks.

The route begins from the western end of Gilberd St and finishes at the end of Short St/Tregenna St.

It will tie in with a recently constructed path along the Whanganui River near the North Mole.

Holmes said the final cycle route would not go through the working port as it was “unable to safely and securely accommodate the shared pathway”.

However, he said this was not unexpected.

The Bike Shed owner Brian Anderson said for local riders having the route continue from town out to the coast was “definitely a real positive”.

Previously, international riders or Tour Aotearoa riders finished on an underwhelming piece of road, he said.

“A lot of them have come a long way and then get to there, nearly at the end, but it’s a bit disappointing.

“It will definitely be a big boost, especially at the end of the trail.”

Anderson said the number of Tour Aotearoa riders seemed to grow each year.

Holmes said the final stage of the trail was the culmination of several years’ work across the wider North Island region, beginning in the Ruapehu district.

The Ngā Ara Tūhono Mountains to Sea Cycle Trail has a total length of just under 200km.

Funding for the final stage of the shared pathway was confirmed in the 2021-24 financial block under the Whanganui District Council’s walking and cycling capital projects category with 60% subsidised by NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi.

Eva de Jong is a reporter for the Whanganui Chronicle covering general news stories. She began as a reporter in 2023.