Cambridge pathway

What’s happening

In December, it was announced safe walking and cycling in Cambridge had been given a massive boost. Waka Kotahi – NZ Transport Agency has invested close to $12.8 million in our district to offer more transport choices and help people opt safely out of cars. Of that, $7.2 million will be spent on a new shared pathway in Cambridge with an additional $3 million from Council funding.

We’re building a new pathway that will link existing paths, help children get to school and create safer, greener neighbourhoods for all of us.

The project will include building a two-laned pathway (for pedestrians and wheeled transport such as bikes and scooters). It will go down Grey Street and Clare Street to join the existing Hamilton Road pathway and will continue down Bryce Street to Duke Street, along Wilson Street to Victoria Bridge.

Detailed Cambridge pathway maps - (scheme plans, updated following first round of feedback)

Lower Duke Street mock images

Construction

Construction started on 11 October 2023 and is expected to be completed by January 2024. The works will be done in stages to minimise the disruption. Majority of the pathway construction is complete.

Pathway extension construction

Cambridge Middle School students will soon be able to cycle, walk and scoot safely to school, with the extension of the Cambridge pathway project about to get underway.

Construction on Clare and Grey Street north will start in early November.

School parents and nearby residents should expect some delays while the work is in progress, and we are working with our contractors Camex to minimise disruption during pick-up and drop-off times.

The works include:

Raised intersection and zebra crossings at the Clare and Grey Street junction
Grey Street from Hamilton Road to Williams Street will be made cycle friendly so cyclists and pedestrians can safely share the street with cars
Traffic calming and low-speed traffic zones installed on Clare and Grey Streets
The northern leg of the Hamilton Road/Grey Street intersection will have the left turn exit lane removed to become a full cul-de-sac.

Construction is expected to be finished by the end of January, in time for the new school year.

View Clare and Grey Street north plans

Grey Street closed, between Clare Street and Hamilton Road

The first stage of work is on Grey Street, between Clare Street and Hamilton Road, to upgrade the footpath and close the Hamilton Road exit off Grey Street. Work will begin Monday 4 November and is expected to take approximately three weeks to complete.

Grey Street, between Clare Street and Hamilton Road, will be closed for these works with access only for residents, visitors and service providers. The road closure will be in effect 24/7 during the construction period, including on the weekend. This is to prevent other road users driving down this section of Grey Street. The Hamilton Road exit off Grey Street will also be closed during the construction period.

Pathway extension – Clare and Grey Street north

Plans were approved, by the Service Delivery Committee on Tuesday 20 February, to turn Hamilton Road and Grey Street north intersection into a full cul-de-sac and extend the Cambridge pathway on Clare and Grey Street to help Cambridge Middle School students bike, walk or scooter safely to school.

This decision follows consultation in October last year that received over 170 submissions through an online and hardcopy survey, a drop-in session and a workshop with Cambridge Middle School students.

The main changes from feedback included:

Clare Street will remain a two-way street
Grey Street from Hamilton Road to Williams Street will be made cycle friendly
All pedestrian crossing points and footpaths will be enhanced
Traffic calming and low-speed traffic zones will be installed
The northern leg of the Hamilton Road/Grey Street intersection will have the left turn exit lane removed to become a full cul-de-sac.

The Ministry of Education, Bicycle Revolution Cambridge, Cambridge Community Board and over 70 percent of submissions were in favour of Grey Street north becoming a full cul-de-sac.

Grey Street, from Hamilton Road to Williams Street, will be different to the rest of the pathway project, and become a cycle friendly street.

The detail

We are investing in safe walking, scootering, and cycling infrastructure in Cambridge to make it easier and safer for people to walk and cycle in Cambridge.

A shared pathway is planned to start on Grey Street outside Cambridge Middle School to connect with Hamilton Road pathway and be extended to Bryce Street. It will continue down Bryce Street to Duke Street and carry along Wilson Street until Victoria Bridge, with an additional pathway on Alpha Street to connect Te Awa River Ride pathway and the new pathway.

The project involves building a two-laned pathway (for pedestrians and wheeled transport such as cycles and scooters) along one side of each of the roads identified above.

This project has secured $7.2 million in funding from Waka Kotahi as part of their $350 million Transport Choices package which helps create greater transport choices for people across New Zealand.

Once consultation feedback has been analysed and changes have been, the final plans will be reported to the Service Delivery Committee in June 2023 and works are expected to begin July 2023.

Background

There has been a strong desire from our community to transition towards a transport model that supports alternative transport modes, such as walking and cycling. Residents of all ages and abilities want to be able to travel in our main urban areas safely and conveniently, without the need for a car. It also responds to strong government direction around climate change and specifically reducing carbon emissions.

This project is about making changes to streets so they are safer for all modes of transport to get around.

The Waipā District Council Long-Term Plan 2021-2031 includes an investment of over $10 million towards projects such as Cambridge Pathways. The funding from Waka Kotahi - NZ Transport Agency was part of its Transport Choices Package which is included in the Climate Emergency Response Fund.

A Governance Group for the project has been formed and meets regularly to establish a shortlist of priority options for Waipā’s walking and cycling network. A Reference Group has also been formed and given the opportunity to comment on the options. The role of these groups are to be champions of their towns and community groups, to share their opinions and point of views on cycle and pathways and advise how they believe it will impact their community.

The Governance Group has considered feedback from both the Reference Group and Community Boards, and at its meeting of 17 August 2022 made a decision around proceeding with the two projects at Kihikihi and Cambridge, which have been approved by the Council’s Service Delivery Committee.

Terminology

Bus Stop: a designated marked spot where a bus regularly stops for passengers to get on and off.

Shared pathway: A path provided for use by both cyclists and pedestrians, with motor vehicles being legally excluded.

Traffic calming: a range of techniques used to manage road users and the road environment to ensure speeds are appropriate to the local environment and the safety of other road users.

Roundabout: a road junction at which traffic moves in one direction round a central island to reach one of the roads converging on it.

Cul de sacs: a street or passage that is closed for vehicular movement at one end.

Signalised crossing: A signalised crossing provides priority for cyclists and pedestrians through the use of traffic signals. Short periods of time are allotted to pedestrians and cyclists crossing the road and vehicles travelling along the road.

Raised safety platform: elevated sections of the road that help reduce vehicle speed.