Proposed Northern Arterial and QEII Drive cycle paths

NZTA are investigating Options for a new four-lane arterial road from the existing Christchurch Northern Motorway and running east of Belfast (SH1) to connect with Queen Elizabeth II Drive (QEII Drive – SH74), as well as the widening of QEII Drive to four lanes between Main North Road and Innes Road.

NZTA states that "the proposal includes consideration of a parallel cycle/walkway connecting with Owen Mitchell Park in the south, running alongside the arterial and connecting with the old state highway bridge over the Waimakariri River in the north, via local roads."

Cycle paths along the proposed arterial could, with appropriate linkages, potentially provide a key cycling route to the north of the city.

Details and a basic plan of the project can be found at: http://www.nzta.govt.nz/consultation/christchurch-northern-corridor/inde...

There are issues with the linkages between the proposed cycle path and the Old Waimakariri Bridge, and the northern arterial and QEII Drive.  Otherwise the proposal generally looks OK from a cycling perspective.  Spokes has made a submission on these issues and several other matters.  The submission is attached below.

Submissions closed on 17 September 2010.