Auckland Harbour Bridge SkyPath is a go

The SkyPath will connect walkways and cycle lanes on either side of the Waitemat? Harbour. Photo / Getty Images

It has been announced that SkyPath, a walking and cycling add-on to the Auckland Harbour Bridge, has been granted resource consent after a long process of proposals and planning.

When completed, the project will connect walkways and cycle lanes on either side of the Waitemat? Harbour, resulting in wider transport choices for Auckland.

SkyPath broke the New Zealand record for the number of resource consent submissions on a public venture. Over ten thousand submissions were received, and 95% of those were in favour.

Dr Sudhvir Singh, spokesperson for Generation Zero - an organisation which encouraged a lot of the public involvement in the resource consent process - says SkyPath is going to be an iconic feature of Auckland.

"The overwhelming support we saw for this project underlines its importance to the city.
This is another sign of Auckland learning from the planning mistakes of the past and recognising the huge demand for walking and cycling."

SkyPath will be constructed by a public-private partnership. It will cost $33 million to build and will initially cost users from $2 to $4 to cross the bridge.

Dr Singh says the government should see the worth of contributing funding to the project, given the overwhelming public support.

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