Christchurch City Council has approved a revised scheme design for the Wheels to Wings – Papanui ki Waiwhetū major cycle route, clearing the way for detailed design work to begin.

“The scheme design we have approved is very different to the scheme design that we originally consulted on back in 2021,’’ says Mayor Lianne Dalziel.

“Over the past two years we have engaged extensively with the community on the scheme design and they have provided us with invaluable feedback that has caused us to pause and re-evaluate elements of it.

“I chaired the Hearings Panel that met earlier this year to consider the public submissions and it was clear to all Panel members that the community was very informed and engaged. The submissions raised some valid issues, many of which we have been able to address in the revised scheme design.

“Some other issues raised by individual submitters will be actively investigated by Council staff as part of the detailed design process,’’ the Mayor says.

The Wheels to Wings – Papanui ki Waiwhetū  is one of 13 major cycle routes across Christchurch. It will go along Harewood Road, from the Johns Road underpass (via Whitchurch Place and Waimakariri Road) to the railway line, where it will connect to the Nor’West Arc and Northern Line major cycle routes.

The western section of Wheels to Wings - from the Johns Road underpass to Nunweek Park - will take the form of a shared path.

The section from Nunweek Boulevard to the Bishopdale roundabout will have one-way separated cycleways on each side of the road, next to the kerb. 

For the section from the roundabout to Greers Road, there will be a two-way cycleway on the north side of Harewood Road. The final section, from Greers Road to the railway line, will be a two-way separated cycleway on the north side of Harewood Road.

Traffic lights will be installed at the intersection of Harewood, Gardiners and Breens roads and the Bishopdale roundabout will be partially signalised as part of the scheme design.

The Council has $22.6 million budgeted for Wheels to Wings. Included in the budget is $1.2 million for the intersection traffic lights.

Find out more about Christchurch’s Major Cycle Routes.