iWay walking and cycling link to extend to Havelock North

Construction will begin early in the New Year on the latest section of the iWay walking and cycling pathways around Hastings.

A three metre wide, offroad pathway is to be constructed on the northern side of Havelock Road, beginning between the outskirts of the city and the roundabout at St Georges Road. It will extend to the bridge over the Karamu Stream and features a 400 metre boardwalk above an open storm drain at the Havelock North end of the pathway, alongside Strawberry Patch.

The new concrete boardwalk and associated landscaping will provide a magnificent addition to the district’s walking and cycling network and will also help relieve some of the pressure on this vital transport link between Hastings and Havelock North.

Currently around 18,000 vehicles travel along Havelock Road each day and that is expected to rise significantly over the next 20 years. Research has also found that most vehicles travelling along the road only carry one person who is travelling less than five kilometers.

Hastings Deputy Mayor Cynthia Bowers says “Havelock Road is the major transport link between Hastings and Havelock North and the new pathway is the first part of a long term project which aims to ensure that the road meets the needs of the community for many years to come.”

“This is one of four key routes that have been identified in the iWay walking and cycling strategy for Hastings and when completed, promises to be a great boost for the large and growing number of walkers and cyclists around the district. Many people choose to cycle between Hastings and Havelock North each day for work and pleasure and the new cycleway will ensure that this can be done in a safe and easy way,” Cynthia Bowers says.

iWay is an initiative of the Hastings District Council which aims to make walking and cycling easy, safe and fun.