Great Taste Cycle Trail improvements about to get underway in Nelson

Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

Work is planned for June to make a busy junction on the Great Taste Trail in Nelson easier and safer for everyone to use.

NZTA/Waka Kotahi will improve the Orphanage Stream section of the shared user path, known as the Whakatu Coastal Pathway, which runs alongside State Highway 6, Whakatu Drive.

Rob Service, System Manager Top of the South, NZTA says the Orphanage Stream section of the shared user path is a busy junction that needs to be upgraded.

“We are changing the alignment and width of the path to make it easier and safer for users to get past each other, particularly when entering and exiting the Orphanage Stream underpass.”

“Work on the path will start on Monday, 10 June and take approximately four weeks to complete. Weather permitting, we hope to complete the work by Friday, 5 July.”

Mr Service says the project will affect traffic on State Highway 6 between Richmond and Nelson.

“Due to frequent truck movements in and out of the site, we will have to have a 300-metre left-hand northbound lane closure and a temporary 50 km/h speed limit adjacent to where the work is happening. It is essential for keeping the public and work crews safe.”

“We estimate people travelling from Richmond into Nelson will need to allow an extra 10 minutes for their journeys, particularly during peak morning times,” Mr Service says.

The section of State Highway 6 that will have the lane closure has two lanes; one of these lanes will remain open, meaning access for traffic into Nelson is maintained.

Users of the shared path can also expect to see some changes while the work is carried out. The Whakatu Coastal Pathway will be closed between the Songer Street/Point Rd entrance and Champion Road/Richmond Deviation entrance point, and the Orphanage Stream shared path entrance point will also be closed.

Path users will need to detour onto the railway reserve using a combination of local roads and local road cycle paths.

Drivers and shared path users must obey all traffic management controls. They are there to keep the public and contractors safe.

Works location and schedule

• Monday 10 June to Friday 5 July. Monday to Friday, 7am to 5pm
• • Shared path works on Whakatu Coastal Pathway
  • Left-hand northbound lane closure and 50 km/h temporary speed limit.
• Monday 17 June, Tuesday 18 June, and Monday 24 June – 12am – 7am
  • Concrete pour for shared path works
  • Left-hand northbound lane closure and 30 km/h temporary speed limit.
• No lane or path closures will be in place on weekends.

Download map [PNG, 1023 KB]

The Great Taste Trail has about 400 users per day in both directions, this includes people cycling or on foot. It connects people from Tasman and Nelson and is used for commuting, exercising, and touring the Nelson and Tasman regions.

MIL OSI