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Major Cycle Routes - March update

Hello from Christchurch City Council’s Major Cycle Routes team.

We are pleased to update you about the project to build a network of 13 separated cycleways in Christchurch.  

You are receiving this message because you have previously signalled you had an interest in transport, especially sustainable transport options such as cycling. If you don’t want these email updates, please click on the unsubscribe button.

We plan to give you regular project updates and share interesting snippets about sustainable transport and the effect it can have on communities.

You can email questions about the Major Cycle Routes programme to cycleways@ccc.govt.nz and one of us will get back to you as soon as possible.  Read on for the latest on the project.

Cycleways to provide $1.2 billion in benefits

The network of Major Cycle Routes being built by Christchurch City Council will provide a return of up to $8 for every dollar invested, or $1.2 billion over 40 years.

The bulk of the benefits calculated by Quality Transport Planning are in health and environmental impact (66 per cent), while decongestion on roads accounts for 28 per cent of the gains to society over the period.

If you want to know more, you can read the full report here.

Councillors requested this business case for the MCR programme to support the consideration of revised funding as part of the development of the Long Term Plan 2015-25.

If you would like to make a submission about the cycleways to Council, you can do so here.

Government allocates funds for city projects

Earlier this year, Transport Minister Simon Bridges made the first allocations from the Government’s Urban Cycleways Fund including two MCR projects in Christchurch. Money will go to a section of the Uni-Cycle route and Papanui Parallel. Mr Bridges also announced allocations from the New Zealand Land Transport Fund to the projects.

The announcement confirms there are other funding sources available to the Council.  Read the media release here.

Ranking determines first routes to be built

The first four routes to be built are:

Uni-Cycle: The link from Canterbury University to the Central City through Hagley Park.
Papanui Parallel: Connecting Northlands and the Northern Rail Route to the Central City.
Quarryman’s Trail: The link between Halswell, Hoon Hay and Somerfield to the Southern Lights route which connects the southern suburbs around Beckenham to the Central City.
Rapanui − Shag Rock Cycleway: From the Coastal Pathway at Ferrymead to the Central City.

To see a map of the city with the order the routes will be built, click here.  For background and a timeline on the cycleways, go to www.ccc.govt.nz/cycleways.