Dunedin Urban Cycleways Programme

Cycling in Dunedin contributes to improving transport options, providing a more efficient and integrated transport network, improving health, economic and social outcomes and city liveability.

The Urban Cycleways Fund has helped to accelerate the development of the cycle network.

Wider investment is also planned for high quality cycle facilities along State Highway 1, and further development of the Harbour Circuit including the completion of the State Highway 88 shared path.

These routes provide a safe and appealing cycling option for everyday activities in Dunedin as well as for visitors to the city.

Dunedin City’s cycling routes were further prioritised to help guide the Council’s investment in the network, and the final UCP was amended to include:

• Central city network
• Dunedin one-way system separated cycle lanes

Central City

This project comprised one of the most significant components of cycle infrastructure in Dunedin, providing links to key destinations including Otago University and Otago Polytechnic, Dunedin Hospital and Dunedin CBD. It also provides connections to the State Highway 1 cycleway being constructed by the NZ Transport Agency.

The project included the Leith bridge over the railway, linking the harbour circuit to the central city and North East Valley cycle network as well as the South Dunedin cycle network.

The new Leith bridge forms the crux of Dunedin’s cycle network, enabling safer cross-town connections, including easy access to the harbour from the central city and vice versa. Dunedin is expecting significant growth in the number of people who travel by bike. 

Dunedin one-way system separated cycle lanes

This project was about improving cycle safety on the SH1 one-way system through central Dunedin, a busy route that must cater for heavy freight vehicles and general traffic, as well as other road-users including pedestrians and cyclists. This latter group of road users are over represented in crashes on this highway corridor.

To reduce the risk of fatal and serious injury crashes, the one-way system needed to be much safer for cyclists as well as pedestrians. A major aim of the project is to provide safe and efficient cycle lanes on this route that make cycling a safer and more attractive transport choice. There’s been a surge of interest in cycling and cycling safety in New Zealand and we want to support and encourage this.

In addition to improving the safety the new cycleways:

• Create better linkages to central city locations including the University, Polytechnic, hospital and the central city itself.

• Provide more convenient connections to the wider network of urban cycle routes being developed by the Dunedin City Council.  
• Help make cycling a safe and attractive transport choice within Dunedin, further enhancing the city’s appeal as a place to live and work.
• Encourage more people to take up cycling as a safe commuting choice.
• Improve pedestrian safety, with new traffic signals planned and existing traffic signal operations being upgraded to increase the protection for pedestrians when crossing.

For more information go to our project link:
Dunedin one-way system separated cycle lanes

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