Work to remove a section of Rotorua’s inner-city cycleway has started.
The section of the cycleway, dubbed the green corridor, will be removed on Hinemoa St between Fenton and Tūtanekai Sts.
It will mean the reinstatement of about 29 car parks, including two mobility spaces and three motorcycle parks.
The parks will be a mix of free 60-minute time-limited parks and paid 180-minute parks.
The removal will cost $50,000. The entire cycleway’s construction cost $442,000 in 2015.
Rotorua mayor Tania Tapsell was pleased the work would likely be completed ahead of the holiday season.
“We’ve listened to feedback and are taking action to help support local businesses and residents as we lead into a busy summer shopping period.”
Rotorua Lakes Council infrastructure and environmental solutions deputy chief executive Stavros Michael said there were no plans at this stage for the removal of the rest of the Green Corridor.
“When the Green Corridor was installed we were still working on extending our shared path network.
“We now have an extended network throughout our city, a total of about 60 kilometres that link to and around the CBD, and a transport functionality review that provided options for the CBD determined that it could be removed.”
He said the council was able to fit the removal of the Hinemoa St section of the Green Corridor into the current financial year, at a cost of about $50,000.”The rest will be looked at as part of development of CBD revitalisation plans that are still to be finalised.”
The announcement, made last Thursday, was met with joy from affected businesses. A cyclist, however, was concerned about the impact of the “piecemeal approach” on the wider network.
Depending on the weather or any other unexpected setbacks, it was expected the removal work would take up to two weeks, carried out by Fulton Hogan as part of its regular maintenance contract with the council, a statement said.
Disruption was expected to be minimal with footpaths - and at least one side of the road - expected to remain open throughout the work.
Road management would be in place as needed.
The council is in the “preliminary stages” of CBD revitalisation work, and the future of the rest of the Green Corridor would be considered as part of this.
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