Source: New Zealand Government
Associate Minister of Transport Julie Anne Genter joined Hutt City Mayor Campbell Barry, mana whenua, and members of the community to turn the first sod on the Beltway Cycleway in Lower Hutt earlier today.
“The Beltway is the latest part of massive growth in the Hutt’s cycling and walking network – by investing in walking and cycling infrastructure we are making our towns and cities more attractive, vibrant and people-friendly places to live,” said Julie Anne Genter.
“During lockdown we saw many more families and kids out on their bikes, which shows that when our streets feel safe to cycle people want to ride.
Today’s event marked the start of construction on the Central and Northern sections, which will run from north of Waterloo Station to the Hutt River at Taita. The Southern and Waterloo Station sections are at the design stage.
Construction is expected to take around eight months. When complete, it will connect Seaview with Taita, mostly running parallel to the Hutt Rail line, on High Street and Oxford Terrace.
Over time, the Beltway will provide additional links to form a connected Lower Hutt cycling network between residential areas, workplaces, the hospital, schools and recreation areas.
The Beltway will also include improve walking and cycling integration with Hutt Valley train stations, better access to the Hutt River Trail at Taita, and minor traffic changes to make it easier for buses to get in and out.
“This cycleway is a key part in our continuous protected bike routes between the city and outer suburbs, meaning more kids and less confident riders will have the freedom to bike into town or get to school on their own steam
“This in turn will help improve air quality and reduce car congestion in the morning, particularly if more kids are cycling to school,” Julie Anne Genter said.
The Beltway is a $7 million project jointly funded by Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency (51%) and Hutt City Council (49%).
