3 Oct 2017

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Work has begun on a new cycle route that will eventually connect Halswell with the central city.

The first 4.6 kilometre stage of the Quarryman’s Trail, from Moorhouse Ave to Victors Rd, is being worked on now through until June 2018.

Fulton Hogan will be working on the section between Moorhouse Ave and Roker St, and at the same time, Isaac Construction Limited will be working on the stretch from Strickland St to Victors Rd.

The final stage of the cycleway, from Victors Rd to Halswell, will be constructed at a later date.

When complete, the Quarryman’s Trail will stretch for about 8.5 kilometres between the city and Halswell.

The new route between Moorhouse Ave and Victors Rd will be made up of 6700 sqm of new cycleway and 6100 sqm of new footpath, and involves the installation of six new sets of traffic signals, drainage works, landscaping and lighting upgrades.

Lynette Ellis, the Council’s Planning and Delivery Transport Manager, says while there will be some disruption for local residents as the work is carried out, the new signalised intersections will benefit motorists as well as cyclists.

“It will help with traffic flow in the area, particularly at peak times at the busy intersections of Disraeli and Antigua Sts, Sparks Rd and Hoon Hay Rd, and Lyttelton St and Sparks Rd.”

Long term, the cycle route will be a really valuable, safe way for people to commute between Halswell and the central city.

“The Council made the decision to extend the proposed construction zone so that it would include Hoon Hay School and Our Lady of the Assumption School on Sparks Rd, allowing students from those schools to benefit from the protection of this new cycleway sooner.”

The Quarryman’s Trail is part of a network of Major Cycle Routes being built by the Council to link shopping centres, businesses, schools, parks and popular recreation destinations.