Upcoming community engagement on the Wellington to Hutt Valley walking and cycling link

The NZ Transport Agency is investigating options to deliver a safe and efficient route for cyclists between Ngauranga and Petone along State Highway 2. This project aims to close the gap of the existing cycleway along SH2, support existing cyclists and encourage more people to travel by bike.

As a parter of the RiverLink project, NZTA are seeking your input on the Petone to Melling section. You can read more about the engagement below or on their website: http://www.nzta.govt.nz/projects/wellington-to-hutt-valley-walking-and-cycling-link/community-engagement/

About

The Wellington to Hutt Valley Walking and Cycling Link (W2HV Link) is a path that, when completed, will run from the Wellington CBD to the Melling railway station and connect to other walking and cycling tracks in the region. The project is divided into the following three sections that align with funding and planning requirements:

Wellington CBD to Ngauranga section –a Wellington City Council project. This cycling path will run from Bunny Street along Thorndon Quay and Hutt Road to the Ngauranga interchange.

Ngauranga to Petone section– an NZ Transport Agency project. This is a shared off-road path from the Ngauranga interchange to the Petone interchange.

Petone to Melling section - an NZ Transport Agency project. This is an off-road cycle path with shared path connections linking the Petone railway station to the Hutt River Trail which links to the Melling railway station.

The purpose of this public engagement

We are seeking your input on the Petone to Melling section and providing an update on how the design of the Ngauranga to Petone section is progressing. Public engagement for the W2HV Link is taking place from 26 April until 31 May 2017.

Petone to Melling section - Learn about our vision for a new two-wayoff-road cycle path along the rail corridor with connections to the Petone railway station and the Hutt River Trail. We invite your feedback on the concept design and key elements for this section before we finalise our plans and get approval to begin building the new path later this year.

Ngauranga to Petone section –This is your opportunity to find out how our preferred option of a shared seaward path is progressing. We’re also providing an update on the investigations to identify additional resilience and urban design benefits. There will be another round of consultation on the concept design later this year before we lodge Resource Management Act consent applications.

How to find out more

Project information and submission forms are now available on our website. Public engagement guides and submission forms are also available at Hutt City and Wellington City libraries and council service centres.

We invite you to learn more about this important project at our public open days in late April and early May 2017. You’ll have an opportunity to talk to a member of the project team in person and learn more about our proposals. Here’s the schedule of public open days:

· Saturday 29 April 2017, 10am-3pm, Dowse Art Museum, 45 Laings Road, Lower Hutt

· Tuesday 2 May 2017, 8am-10am, Asteron Centre 55 Featherston, Wellington

· Wednesday 3 May 2017, 8am-10am, Asteron Centre, 55 Featherston, Wellington

· Thursday 4 May 2017, 8am-10am, Asteron Centre, 55 Featherston, Wellington

· Thursday 4 May 2017, 4-7pm, Dowse Art Museum, 45 Laings Road, Lower Hutt

Community engagement is an important part of developing these proposals so we’re keen to get your feedback. You can provide feedback by filling out a submission form at an information day, by completing the submission form on our webpage or by emailing your comments to the project email address at w2hvlink@nzta.govt.nz

Once we’ve analysed all the feedback, we’ll prepare a summary report and make it available on our webpage later this year.