Around a quarter of million dollars of investigation and design funding has just been approved by the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) for the State Highway 88 Port Chalmers-Dunedin walking/cycling shared path.
When completed, this project will provide a safe dedicated walking and cycling facility linking Dunedin and Port Chalmers.
NZTA Southern Regional Director Jim Harland says the funding allows for a full investigation of the entire route from Maia where the present shared path ends to Port Chalmers. Investigation work covers survey, geotechnical investigation, preliminary design, consultation with key stakeholders and the community and preparation of resource consent applications.
“This funding also meets the cost of designing the next section of the project and at this stage that looks like being the section from Maia to St Leonards.”
Mr Harland says its possible construction on the next section of the project could start in the second quarter of 2012.
Kiwirail have recently replaced two timber bridges on the main trunk line between Maia and St Leonards and created enough room on the new bridges to carry a shared walking/cycling path.
