Hi. See attached the comprehensive power point for our 3 projects on the Taieri of which the Cycle Trail from Waihola to Mosgiel forms a major part of the overall project.
Jonathan Kennett NZTA Cycle Network asked me prepare a preferred trail in Nov last year and this is almost the final result. It is a long story but suffice to say a number of people dropped the ball with the Cycle Trail over the past 15 months.
The only issue holding up the final sign off is ORC not yet allowing the use of their stop banks of the Silverstream.
ORC Councilors are working hard to make it happen but time is running out. The funding from NZTA Cycle Network expires 30/6.
That is it in a short nutshell but hope it is helpful.
Let me know if you want more info but as I mentioned I will only be a part of your Group on the basis that I explained to you, Nathan.
Cheers
Brian
Brian,
I don’t see why it goes all that extra distance when with just a short section a new trail beside SH1 from the end of the old road to the floodbank at Allanton, you can there directly?
Hi it all relates to various roads that NZTA consider to be safe for on road cycling. The real intention is to use all the stop banks along the Taieri and Silverstream but ORC need to be convinced!!!
Hi again your suggestion Steve might well happen but NZTA just needed some action to make things happen and the current preferred route has been established so that their funds could be made available but as I say ORC is holding up everything.
You may find if they tick the box they will never come back to a better solution.
Further down Silverstream they have the walkway on the flood-bank, do the ORC see this as different? I drove a car along a farm track along another section of the bank, so it is already being used.
I think the idea is to have a “rider experience” in a rural setting hence the flood bank idea.
For example, where possible, they have tried to stick to the old rail trail from Lawrence to Waihola incorporating some stunning sections at Waihola including across the lake and wetland. In your sketch, while direct and faster, a noisy SH1 journey is not that enticing in my humble opinion.
Well, this seems pretty damn urgent. Can we help get this over the line?
Clearly it is a good idea to have the stopbanks made suitable for cycling, but it really is going around 3 sides of a square. I’d certainly prefer to nail the direct route first and then add in the Mosgiel / Outram / Woodside bit down the track. But I can see where Brian is coming from - those stopbanks would have high value for the Mosgiel community.
Personally I’d love to see it go via the airport, which is away from SH1 and a good thing to have connected (think cycling tourists arriving with their bikes), both towards Dunedin and out to the Clutha Gold. Bit of a busy road at times though, so would need a real scope out and think.
@frstep - is it time to bring Spokes into this conversation?
I can see where ORC are coming from too. any changes to the height of the stop banks has a flow on consequence when there is a flood - even 100 mm makes a difference. They would want to make sure that the cycle trail does not have a material change in the stop bank height or integrity. It might be time for a rethink on the route if ORC are going to play hardball. Brian would have further insight as there probably has been a business case and a whole heap of work to get it to this stage.
Maybe the SH1 section not ideal, and would be nice to move it away from road…maybe adjacent land available, but the old road, quiet and near the river, and the flood-banks, are really good!
