Michael Wood speaks at the Te Awa River Ride Celebrations
The latest $10.4 million investment in safer Waipā walking and cycling pathways is money well spent, says Transport minister Michael Wood.
Speaking exclusively to The News at a celebration for the completion of a 65-kilometre Te Awa shared path from Ngāruawāhia to Karāpiro, Wood said investments like those into communities gave people choices.
But he was unable to provide any news on whether the government planned to fast track a 16km four-lane extension from south of Cambridge to the Piarere turnoff.
“Waka Kotahi are still working through the business case process,” he said.
A new Labour Party policy on transport was being developed and the government would consult on that in the next couple of months.
“Having a good resilient road network is important and then we balance it with other networks like this one (Te Awa).”
Opponents of Waka Kotahi and Waipā’s investment into cycling and walking at the expenses of roads and bridges has dominated the news cycle in recent years with opponents saying a third Cambridge bridge and an extension to the expressway were more important.
Three months ago the government announced Waipā would receive up to $10.4 million, on top of the council’s contribution, to help build safer pathways. All up, around $8.6m will be spent in Cambridge and around $7.2m in Kihikihi.
“In response to the events we’ve had recently – extreme climate change – we need to build a resilient roading network but we also need to give people transport choices so we reduce our carbon emissions,” said Wood.
“We know when we make these investments and give people choices, more people will take them up. We don’t need everyone all of the time to get on their bike, but if more people more of the time do, we’ll reduce our emissions, we’ll reduce traffic congestions and make it a better community for everyone.”
Wood said the government faced huge challenges in repairing the roading network post Cyclone Gabrielle.
“We know it’s going to be very, very significant. We intend to stand by those affected communities. At the same time we can’t lose momentum with the other important investments.”
Wood said Waikato was a growing region “and we need to put the infrastructure in to meet that growth. We’re going to be smart about those investments and get the best bang for buck.”
The severe wet weather had seen an increase in potholes which Wood said needed to be fixed as part of standard maintenance.
The final 20 kilometre section of Te Awa linking Cambridge and Hamilton was jointly funded by Waka Kotahi and the Government’s Covid-19 Response and Recovery Fund, managed by Kānoa, the Regional Economic Development and Investment Unit. It was built in four stages by Waka Kotahi, Waipā, Waikato and Hamilton City councils.
A celebration event on Sunday involved hundreds of cyclists who collected ride passports at 27 points along the way and collected stamps to mark their progress. More than $13,000 worth of spot prizes, including two e-bikes and children’s bikes, were handed out at prizegiving in Hamilton Gardens held as part of the celebration.
E-bikers Dave and Kay Hey from Howick tried the ride north from the Cambridge Velodrome in February – last weekend they set off from Hamilton Gardens.
