New footpaths for Central Hawke's Bay communities

Work has already begun with new footpaths already built in Otane. Photo / Supplied

New footpaths will be constructed to help Central Hawke's Bay kids walk to school after communities rallied to get them.

The NZTA has granted funding assistance for footpaths nationwide which will help CHB District Council cover 60 per cent of the cost of each footpath.

CHBDC chief executive Monique Davidson said being able to provide safe and usable walkways for residents was a priority for the council.

"This is particularly great news for our Otane community who rallied together to see these developments installed."

Otane is CHB's first community to benefit from the new funding mechanism, with new footpaths which now run along both Higginson St and Dee St.

The footpaths mean safer journeys to and from school for parents and children who in the past had walked along the side of the road.

Every year the council receives enquiries or requests regarding the possibility of new footpaths around the network.

Each request is reviewed against a set of criteria to ensure funds are directed to those areas that need it most.

The criteria looks at aspects of safety, proximity to schools, public transport, community and commercial facility linkages among others.

Otane isn't the only community to benefit from the NZTA funding share with locations in Waipawa and Waipukurau also programmed for investment in 2019.

Harker St, Gow St and Svenson St are next on the list with work to be prioritised and scheduled for 2020 in other areas including Takapau and Tikokino.

Gow St is next on the list, followed by Svenson St and lastly Harker St in Waipawa, which will see a new footpath installed from Waipawa Primary School linking the walkway to the Waipawa and Districts Centennial Memorial Pool.

These projects will take approximately two months to complete and are expected to be in use for spring.