Construction is set to start on Waikato District Council’s Hamilton to Cambridge section of Te Awa River Ride, following a successful tender at the end of last year.
Waikato District’s section was split into two contract areas, one being the Mangaonua Gully and the second being the section by the Waikato River from Riverglade Drive to SH21 in Tamahere.
Tendering for these contracts took place at the end of last year and were awarded prior to the Christmas break.
Base Civil will build the $2.5 million Mangaonua Gully section, which includes over 350 m of elevated boardwalk through the gully, associated earthworks, retaining walls and landscaping.
And Schick Civil Construction were awarded the $1 million Riverglade Drive to SH21 contract, which includes building over 2km of wide concrete path, drainage and landscaping by the river.
The project is jointly funded by Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency, and the Government’s COVID-19 Response and Recovery Fund.
Work is expected to begin on the eight-month build by the end of January, with completion earmarked for September 2021.
The full Hamilton to Cambridge section will be built by four different organisations, Waka Kotahi, District Council, Waipā District Council, Waikato and Hamilton City Council, as it crosses three district boundaries.
Waikato District Mayor Allan Sanson said with the ever-growing popularity of cycling as a recreational activity, this year would be a big year for those wanting to get out and about and enjoy the great outdoors.
“Our community, and visitors to our district have already enjoyed the fantastic Ngaruawahia to Hamilton section of the Te Awa River Ride,” he said.
“It’s fair to say that there have been, and continue to be, many economic and social benefits for our people from having that stretch of cycleway in our patch.
“Those same benefits will now come to the southern end of our district and the completed track will open up spectacular views of our natural environment and, of course, the river to cyclists, joggers and walkers from all over the Waikato and beyond.”
Sarah Ulmer, Trustee of Te Awa River Ride Charitable Trust, said completing the final section of Te Awa would be a bonus for the region.
“We’re delighted to be underway with last section of Te Awa, which will see the entire path completed later this year. Te Awa is already one of New Zealand’s busiest cycleways and cycling just keeps growing across the country.
"Having this 60km cycleway through the Waikato is going to provide recreational, transport and economic benefits for our region.”
Once completed, the full Te Awa River Ride cycleway will span 60km from Ngaruawahia, through Hamilton and Cambridge, finishing up at Horahora, south of Lake Karapiro. For more information on the Te Awa River Ride, head to www.te-awa.org.nz
