Two large cycleways, connecting Wellington city to the hospital and botanic gardens, are to be accelerated for construction if the city council approves wider plans next week.
Photo: 123RF
The first cycleway would connect the Wellington Botanic Garden to Customhouse Quay via Bowen Street, and the second would be a straight route from Wellington Hospital to Waitangi Park.
It would mean both cycleways would meet either end of the Wellington waterfront.
But the two cycleways are just small chunk of a proposed 147km network across the city as part of Wellington City Council's $226 million proposal.
Wellington City Council yesterday revealed draft plans for the cycleway development.
Cycleways will spread across key roads from Porirua to the Miramar peninsula, including Island Bay and Brooklyn areas.
Commonly congested routes, such as Taranaki Street, Adelaide Road, Courtenay Place and The Terrace, will be areas of focus.
Wellington currently has only 23km of the proposed network already.
Rosalie Percival, Capital Coast District Health Board chief financial officer, said those at Wellington Hospital are excited by the prospect.
"For our staff, and people who live in this area who ride or would like to, the sooner we can get a safer route the better," she said.
A 2014 survey found 76 percent of Wellingtonians would consider cycling if improvements were made to the city's networks.
Council data shows more people than ever are riding bikes into the central city during peak hours.
Latest city cordon counts show an average of 2462 people a day biked into the city from key directions.
Council approved the $226m budget in May, which will be divided over project's estimated 10 year development.
The council will build 90km of the network, and the remaining 34km by Let's Get Wellington Moving.
Mayor Andy Foster said the bike network will give people in Wellington more options for more trips across the city.
"It's a good move from a transport perspective, but also from an economic one as it will be easier for people to shop and do business," he said.
If the draft plan gets the green-light, the Bike Network Plan will go out for public consultation late October.