An $1.13M upgrade to the existing Aubrey Road shared pedestrian and cycle path, which began last month, is expected to be completed by the end of May.

The upgrade includes the path being widened to three metres with a formed edge and a sealed surface from the Aubrey Road intersection with Anderson Road through to Gunn Road.

The Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) said residential driveways crossing the path will be affected, with some needing work which could take up to three days.

“Residents will be advised ahead of time should any work to their driveway be required so that access arrangements can be made,” a QLDC spokesperson said.

Anderson Road leg delayed

The Aubrey Road cycleway upgrade is only one leg of the bigger project which includes Anderson Road, and is part of an overarching Wanaka urban cycle network.

The Anderson Road leg, arguably the higher safety priority as there is no cycleway on the busy collector road, has been delayed for years by the need to upgrade Wanaka’s water main.

Very detailed designs for a shared cycleway running the full length of Anderson Road (on the Mt Iron side) have already been drawn up, Active Travel Wanaka spokesperson Simon Telfer said. 

Currently cyclists navigating Anderson Road have no option but to share the road with parked vehicles and heavy traffic.

“We instigated a renewed focus on the Anderson Rd shared pathway two weeks ago,” Simon said, adding the group was advised by council it could be 2024 before the Anderson Road shared path was completed, following the water main work.  

“We have said this is unpalatable and if partial completion is not an option then interim alternatives need to be scoped and implemented,” he said.

Interim cycleway measures

Simon suggested the shared cycleway could be built in two phases: “For example Aubrey Road to Wilkin Road first, if water main work allows, and then from Wilkin Road to SH84 [Wanaka-Luggate Highway] after the water infrastructure is in place.  

“Or build the pathway along the length of Anderson Road to a lower specification (eg gravel) and complete to full specification once water infrastructure is in place.”

Council spokesperson Jack Barlow said long-term master planning for Wanaka’s water supply is underway and the decision on whether there is a need for a new water main will be made in approximately six months’ time.

If the cycleway project did have to wait for the water main to be constructed, council has “defined a mix of interim active travel measures and components of the design that can be progressed that are not in conflict with the water main”, he said.

The interim plan will be shared with the Wanaka Community Board for its input and feedback and, if agreed and prioritised, the interim works would progress in the next financial year (after June 2021), council said.

Business case for Wanaka network a priority

Simon said, while the start of the Aubrey Road pathway “is looking great”, his overarching concern was that the QLDC is not prioritising its resources to complete a specific business case for the Wanaka urban cycle network.

Active Travel Wanaka has been applying pressure to the QLDC during the past 18 months to tackle the business case, he said, because without it Wanaka is “at a distinct disadvantage to tap into unexpected funding opportunities from central government”. 

In 2019, the Way to Go partnership between the QLDC, Otago Regional Council and the New Zealand Transport Agency endorsed the Wakatipu Active Travel Network business case with investment of $14M. 

Wanaka’s business case “hasn’t been started or resourced yet”, Simon said. 

“We have requested it is pulled out of the proposed broader transport business case that seems to be delayed indefinitely.

“The plan is also required to prioritise annual investment in cycling infrastructure expected via the minor improvements budget.”

In 2017 a well attended public meeting was held in Wanaka at which the newly formed Active Transport Wanaka Collective presented its vision for an extensive urban cycle network, including a “schools to the pool” proposal. 

The draft network was shared with QLDC staff.

“We’re disappointed that the groundswell of community support for an urban cycle network in Wanaka is not being made a priority by QLDC. Queenstown is getting a lot of attention in this area,” Simon said.

PHOTOS: Wanaka App