Cycle safety improvements coming for Dunedin

Work is set to start next month on a cycleway through central Dunedin that will improve safety for cyclists, pedestrians and all road users, Transport Minister Simon Bridges says.

“Fulton Hogan has been awarded an $8 million contract to build new cycle lanes on the north and southbound streets of the State Highway 1 one-way system between the Dunedin Botanical Gardens and Queens Gardens,” Mr Bridges says.

“This project will improve cycle safety on the one-way system through central Dunedin, a busy route that has to balance the competing needs of heavy freight vehicles and general traffic, as well as pedestrians and cyclists.”

The work involves replacement of the existing painted cycle lanes, which sit directly next to busy traffic lanes and placing new cycle lanes alongside the footpath, together with a series of islands to keep highway traffic and cyclists separated.

Another critical element of the work is a focus on improving pedestrian safety, with new traffic signals planned and existing traffic signal operations being upgraded to increase the protection for pedestrians when crossing.  

In addition to improving the safety of the one-way system for everyone, the new cycle lanes will create better linkages to central city locations including the University, Polytechnic, hospital and the central city itself. It will also provide more convenient connections to the wider network of urban cycle routes being developed by the Dunedin City Council.  

“I would like to acknowledge Dunedin based National List MP Michael Woodhouse for his strong advocacy in ensuring Crown funding was available once the plan for the cycleway had been finalised,” Mr Bridges says.

“This is one of the early projects in a work programme to create a Dunedin transport system with better, safer connections and more choices for people to move around, whether it’s by cycling, walking, driving or catching a bus.”

The cycleway is part of the Urban Cycleways Programme, which is delivering $333 million of new cycleway projects throughout the country. This is the single biggest investment in cycling in New Zealand’s history.

More details about this project can be found at: http://www.nzta.govt.nz/projects/dunedin-sh1-cycle-lane-safety-improvements-project/