The final design for the Quay St Cycleway was released on 17 February, with the cycleway opening in late May 2016.
The two-way separated cycleway, which will go from Lower Hobson St by Princes Wharf to Plumer St, will make it even easier to cycle into the city centre, says Kathryn King, Auckland Transport’s Cycling and Walking Manager.
“This cycleway is being fast-tracked so it will be constructed prior to works beginning on the City Rail Link in the downtown area. As these important works begin and the network of cycle routes in the city expands, the growth in the number of people cycling into the city centre is expected to continue,” she says.
“People are choosing to cycle into the city because there is a certainty of travel time, it’s cost effective and, for some people, it’s quicker than driving or public transport.”
“The pink Lightpath, Northwestern Cycleway, Grafton Gully Cycleway and Tamaki Drive are already popular routes for people cycling. Over the next three years, we will add to these existing routes creating a network of cycle improvements which will give people better travel options.”
Download a copy of the Quay Street Cycleway map here.
Construction begins in March
Construction on the Quay St Cycleway will begin in early March. A short section of the cycleway from Queen St to Commerce St has yet to be finalised.
The cycleway will join with the existing Beach Rd Cycleway at Britomart Place. Future connections to the cycleway include Tamaki Drive Cycleway in the east, and Nelson St Cycleway and Westhaven to City Cycleway at Lower Hobson
Cyclist numbers increasing
“Projects such as these make travel for everyone including those in their cars more reliable and safer,” says the Transport Agency’s Auckland Regional Director, Ernst Zöllner.
“That’s why the government is currently investing so significantly in the Urban Cycleways Programme. Our aim is to grow the number of cycling trips by more than 30 per cent over the next three years.”
In recent years, there has been consistent growth in the number of people cycling in Auckland with a 7.4 per cent increase over the past year.
Visit Auckland Transport for more on cycling and walking.
