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)
Pathway construction
Construction started on 11 October 2023 and is expected to take nine months to be completed. The works will be done in stages to minimise the disruption.
Current works
Bryce/ Alpha Streets intersection closure
To lay the asphalt for the new Alpha / Bryce Streets roundabout, we need to close this intersection on Tuesday, 25 June and Thursday, 27 June. The closure will in effect between 7am – 6pm, and the intersection will be
reopened at night.
While this intersection closure is in place, the surrounding streets will have access only for residents and service providers.
During these asphalt works, we will restore access for residents to Alpha and Hall Streets. The lane closure will be reinstated on Friday, 28 June.
We will complete asphalt works for the new raised speed table on Grey Street on Monday, 1 July.
Wilson and Bath Street
The next stage of works will include extending the new pathway across Bath Street, installing a new safety raised platform at the entrance of Bath Street and removing the slip lane between Victoria and Bath Streets.
Works will start on Monday, 17 June, and are expected to take approximately six weeks (weather permitting). Construction will be done in three stages to minimise disruption to residents, traffic and businesses.
- Stage 1 (blue): A lane closure will be in place on Wilson Street, from Monday, 17 June to Friday, 12 July. Vehicle access to The Warehouse and the businesses at 47 Wilson Street will be maintained at all times.
- Stage 2 (yellow): This work will be completed under a shoulder closure, with some restrictions to the footpath. It will take approximately one week to complete. Vehicle access to the businesses at 47 Wilson Street and Herbert Morton will be maintained at all times.
- Stage 3 (green): Bath Street will be closed for a short period of time while we construct the raised safety platform. Residents and service providers will have access, we will confirm the dates for this as stages 1 and 2 progress. It is expected to take approximately one week.
Dates and timeframes for all stages are weather permitting.
During the works, Wilson Street will be down to one lane with traffic access from the Duke Street end. People will not be able to access Wilson Street from Victoria Street.
Cambridge Primary School parents and caregivers can still use the pickup and drop off zone on Wilson Street.
The pink is the lane closure, and the yellow arrows show the direction of one-way traffic.
Alpha and Hall Street closures
To progress onto the next phase of works we need to close one lane on Alpha Street and close the Hall Street entrance off Queen Street, from Monday, 17 June, for approximately three weeks.
To access Alpha Street, use the Bryce Street entrance and exit out of Queen Street. We will need to alternate the lane that is closed so we can complete works on both sides of the road.
The entrance to Hall Street from Queen Street will be closed, with access only for residents and service providers. Please refer to the map to see where we will be working.
Traffic and cyclists coming from Gaslight Theatre will need to turn left onto Hall Street to exit out of Queen Street.
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.
Media releases
- Community in favour of new cul-de-sac and pathway extension, 20 February 2024.
- Construction advances on Cambridge's new pathway, 10 January 2024.
- Construction kicks off for Cambridge’s new pathway, 10 October 2023.
- Pathway extension to help kids get to school safely, 18 September 2023.
- Green light for Cambridge walking and cycling path, 20 June 2023.
- Work speeds up on safe cycleways, walkways, 20 February 2023
- Government to pour millions into Waipā walking and cycleways, 4 December 2022