Te Awa Cycleway’s Waipā section delayed to early 2022

COVID-19 continues to play havoc with supply chain delays pushing out the expected completion date for Te Awa River Ride’s Waipā section to early 2022.

Waipā District Council’s Group Manager – Service Delivery Dawn Inglis said difficulties getting timber supplies for the lengths of boardwalk and retaining walls that feature in the Waipā section meant last month’s hopes for completion by the end of the year were dashed.

“The Walkway Solutions team who have been busy building the boardwalk for us have found it increasingly difficult to get supplies in time due to delays in the supply chain caused by COVID-19 restrictions.

“While the teams working on our section had managed to work around a number of delays previously, they’re now at the point where they’ve exhausted their options to continue on further ahead without the supplies they need.

“Unfortunately this does mean we’re now looking at an early 2022 completion, and we hope to open in time for our summer riders to enjoy the breathtaking scenery.”

Once completed, the Waipā section of Te Awa River Ride will take users through bush and across farmlands with scenic vistas across the Waikato River.

Council is investing in good quality materials to ensure users have the best experience while travelling on the Te Awa River Ride and to help minimise ongoing costs for ratepayers.

“We recognise that this slight delay may be frustrating for our users but we’re working hard to deliver this amazing asset that everyone will be able to ride and experience for many years to come,” Inglis added.

The Hamilton to Cambridge section is the final section of Te Awa River Ride, which will provide a 60km designated cyclepath from Ngaruawahia to Lake Karapiro. The final section of Te Awa was one of the successful shovel-ready projects which received funding of $8.2 million from the Infrastructure Industry Reference Group, supported by Crown Infrastructure Partners. The Hamilton to Cambridge section will be built by Waipā District, Waikato District and Hamilton City councils and Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency, as it crosses each territorial boundary.