Celebrations were in order at Grey Lynn Park last month as the community came out to mark the opening of a new shared path and cycling facility from Great North Road to West End Road through the heart of Grey Lynn.
The Grey Lynn Greenway route is part of a range of cycling and walking improvement projects in design and under construction in the inner west suburbs. All are aimed at providing high-quality ways for people to travel by bike or on foot around their local area, and to and from the city.
Mayor Phil Goff says, “This route came about because of the vision of local people to link up green spaces with safe walking and cycling connections. The route is great for the community, improves safety and creates real transport choice for people in the area.”
Pippa Coom, Waitemata Local Board Chair says, “We’re really excited to see our first greenway open. The route provides a great link through our parks and will connect to the new Richmond Road and Great North Road cycleways due to be completed by 2018, and connections to future cycleways at West End Road, Williamson Avenue and Bond Street. We’re also fortunate that the community has got behind the Grey Lynn pump track and the pollinator path planting located along the greenway.”
Walking, Cycling and Road Safety Manager for Auckland Transport, Kathryn King says, “Working with our partners, we are now half way through our three-year programme of building cycling infrastructure to serve the needs of a growing Auckland. People tell us that they want to go by bike but want to use safe routes where they feel protected. Projects like this will increase the number of people we see leaving the car at home and getting active as they travel around their community, and to and from work and study.”
This route runs through three reserves, Cox’s Bay, Hakanoa and Grey Lynn, where the path has been widened. The on-road sections of the route include traffic calming, better crossing opportunities and a roundabout which makes people on foot and bikes more comfortable.
Auckland Transport is working with project partners Auckland Council and the Government through the NZ Transport Agency and the Urban Cycleways Programme on a $200 million programme of cycle improvements from 2015 to 2018. The project cost around $1.5 million from local board funding, Auckland Transport and the New Zealand Transport Agency.
Check out the Greenways route including a map:
https://at.govt.nz/projects-roadworks/grey-lynn-arch-hill-westmere-improvements/route-3-greenways-route/