Christchurch Railway Cycleway
None
Christchurch Railway Cycleway | |
---|---|
Pathway south of Wairakei Road
|
|
Length | 6 km (3.7 mi) |
Location | Christchurch , New Zealand |
Trailheads | Kilmarnock Street (south) / Tuckers Road (north) |
Use |
Walking
Cycling |
Elevation gain/loss | nil |
Difficulty | Easy |
Season | Year round |
The Christchurch Railway Cycleway follows the Main North railway in Christchurch . The route currently extends from Kilmarnock Street ( Riccarton ) in the south, through Fendalton and Papanui to Tuckers Road ( Northcote ) in the north. The northernmost section, from Northcote Road to Tuckers Road, was completed in early 2010. When this section was finished, the pathway was about 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) long.
Route
Existing path
The path follows the route of the Main North Line , which is operational. It is essentially flat, varying in width from 1.8 metres (5 ft 11 in) wide to 3.5 metres (11 ft) wide depending on the available corridor. A description of the route can be found in a Christchurch City Council publication. [1]
Despite its commonly used name, the pathway is a shared pedestrian/cycle facility. It connects a number of schools (e.g. Papanui High School , Waimairi School, Christchurch Girls' High School ) and local shopping centres (Papanui, Strowan ) and provides an off-road commuter connection from the northern suburbs to Riccarton and the central city .
Intersection control
The core section of the pathway (from Harewood Road to Matai Street) was constructed in the late 1990s / early 2000s. Of the five road crossings, three (Fendalton Road, Wairakei Road and Glandovey Road) were considered to require traffic signal control. [2] One of the crossing points (Blighs Road) has since been retrofitted with traffic signals. The 2010 extension to Tuckers Road also included the creation of a signalised crossing at Northcote Road.
The signalised crossings feature bicycle detectors on the pathway well in advance of the intersections, so that riders receive a green signal as they arrive at the crossings.
Proposed path extensions
A pathway extension to the north (from Tuckers Road to Main North Road) is under design and was in the 2009–19 Long Term Plan [3] prior to the Canterbury earthquakes . A feasibility study commissioned by Christchurch City Council also covered an extension to the suburb of Belfast , and possible links to the proposed Northern Arterial Highway Corridor. [4]
South, there are plans in the next decade to continue the pathway along the railway line through Riccarton across Riccarton Road and on to Blenheim Road and the Christchurch railway station . Longer-term, the current city transport strategic plan envisages linking this corridor with others along the railway lines to the west and southeast. [5]
References
- ↑ CCC Papanui to City cycle map and route description Archived 15 October 2008 at the Wayback Machine
- ↑ W.Lloyd, "Papanui Railway Cycleway – Dedicated Cycle Signals"
- ↑ "CCC Cycleways Improvement Programme 2009–19" (PDF) . Archived from the original (PDF) on 12 February 2013 . Retrieved 5 January 2013 .
- ↑ "Christchurch Northern Arterial, NZTA" . Archived from the original on 24 May 2012 . Retrieved 5 January 2013 .
- ↑ Christchurch Transport Strategic Plan 2012–42, CCC Archived 6 November 2013 at the Wayback Machine
External links