Carterton District Council is welcoming feedback on a proposed new cycleway through the heart of our town.
Waka Kotahi’s Transport Choices programme is supporting Connecting Carterton – Schools Link through provisional funding of cycleways connecting our schools, providing safe, clean transport options for our young people and healthy connections for our community.
The cycleways will connect four of our town centre schools with our green spaces.
Starting at South End Park on Brooklyn Road, the cycleway connects the park’s BMX track with South End School, moving north along State Highway 2 to St Mary’s School and Ponatahi Christian School, before connecting with Carrington Park and Carterton School.
Council has secured provisional funding of $918,720 from Waka Kotahi to fund projects that create greater transport choices to ensure people can access all their needs, while creating safer and healthier environments. The provisional funding is subject to a series of checks, the last of which includes approval of detailed design, due at the end of September. The Council also received an additional $180,000 to provide undercover bike sheds and racks to the schools.
The design incorporates safety features to ensure separation from highway traffic and to boldly show where cyclists can use the tracks, allowing for plenty of pedestrian access through High Street South and adjoining roads.
Transport Choices’ main goal was to enable New Zealand’s climate response, but the project offers the opportunity for positive health outcomes as well as long-term environmental benefit to our community, said Glenda Seville, Community Services and Facilities Manager at Carterton District Council.
“The new routes will improve safety and make cycling a more appealing option for more children. That means fewer cars on our roads, especially at the start and end of the day. That’s a win for our community’s physical health, and a win for our environment.
“Being active and being able to connect with family and friends, has a positive effect on all aspects of our hauora – our physical, mental, spiritual and social wellbeing. The cycleways will link our community to local schools, and easier connection to whānau and friends.”
Ms Seville said a period of community engagement was essential to determining the final design in a very quick time frame.
“Over the course of this year, we’ve engaged with schools, businesses and organisations to help us snap up the funding before the deadline.
“We have investigated other routes and options, and this proposed route best meets the community’s needs. We need to make decisions by the end of September and construction by June 2024.
“The feedback we’ve received from our community so far is that making State Highway 2 safer for cycling would help instil confidence in our schools’ students and their families to turn to alternative modes of transport. We’re really enthusiastic about supporting transport options in Carterton.”
Hon. Ron Mark, Mayor of Carterton, welcomes the opportunity for safer connections for our students and whanau, and the opportunity to show an example of Council and central Government working in partnership for communities in Wairarapa.
“The safety of our tamariki and our communities is always at the forefront of our minds. I am really happy that Waka Kotahi Transport Choices is coming to the party to help us deliver a safe way for Carterton kids to get to and from school.
“The Council team has been working really hard with schools and affected stakeholders all year to develop a route that will benefit our whole community. We look forward to your feedback on the design so we can get the final sign off on this great initiative.”
The cycleway also has support from local schools, with Ponatahi Christian School principal Peter Bertram saying the proposed route will help give parents confidence their kids are getting to school safely.
“A big vote of support for this! I would love to see more children on bicycles coming to school and I believe that this will help.
“SH2 is the barrier, and this proposal will go some way towards overcoming that.”
Council is seeking community feedback on the Project from Monday 14 August. We will close feedback on Sunday 27 August for inclusion in the detailed design, so get in quick!
You can find out more about the project at cdc.govt.nz/connecting-carterton.
Visit cdc.govt.nz/haveyoursay, or by email to connectingcarterton@cdc.govt.nz. You can also pick up a paper form from Council offices or the Events Centre and Library.
Find out more about Waka Kotahi Transport Choices at www.nzta.govt.nz/transport-choices