Work progressing on South Express cycleway

Another section of Puari ki Niho-toto South Express Cycleway has been completed creating an uninterrupted 10km route from the city to Hornby.

Construction along the length of Kyle Park on Waterloo Road was expected to take three months but was completed two weeks ahead of schedule, finishing up earlier this month.

“The work means cyclists can now ride from South Hagley Park in the central city out to the Council’s newest pools and library at Matatiki Hornby Centre, passing several schools and destination spots along the way,” says Manager Planning and Delivery Transport Jacob Bradbury.

“There are now three stages of work left to complete before the cycleway will be finished, all of which we are working on and progressing.”

The first involves extending the cycleway further west down Waterloo Road from Barters Road to Jones Road, where it will join up with Selwyn District Council’s cycleway to Rolleston.

This stage will include line markings and wayfinding signage within the Waterloo Business Park. The next stage is the Gilberthorpes Road/Waterloo Road/Parker Street/Moffett Street intersection, including a stretch of Waterloo Road from the western end of Kyle Park to Finsbury Street.

The Parker Street level crossing design required for the cycleway is still being progressed with KiwiRail.

The final stage is a section along Waterloo Road from Finsbury Street to Wilson Street, to be completed as part of the Halswell Junction Road realignment project. KiwiRail are expected to complete the level crossing works in early 2025, after which this can be completed.

“Once complete the cycleway will be just over 15km long and run from the central city out to Templeton, where it joins with the Selwyn District Council’s cycleway on Jones Road that goes all the way out to Rolleston,” Mr Bradbury says.

The cycleway passes nine schools along its route, providing safe cycle facilities for the students, as well as connecting into two existing major cycleways: Norwest Arc and Northern Line.

“This is fantastic for people wanting to get around on bikes instead of cars, helping ease the pressure on our roads and providing another safe and convenient option to get them where they want to go,” Mr Bradbury says.

Check out the Christchurch Bike Map here.