Prime Minister John Key still believes the national cycleway will create 4000 jobs - despite only 70 jobs being created during construction of the first 107km of track.
The $50 million cycleway project, which came out of the Job Summit held last year, is to be a series of cycle tracks linked throughout the country.
Today, Mr Key said 107km had been completed.
Of those 98km were on Department of Conservation (DOC) land and 9km encompassed the Waikato River Track.
There had been 70 jobs created so far.
Mr Key told reporters that "over time" the number would reach 4000 and the real benefit would be in long term tourism jobs.
"You're talking about construction jobs, people picking up a shovel and working on the track obviously, there are lots and lots of people whose jobs have interacted with this project. I myself have my (Tourism) Ministry looking after it, there are jobs there, there are plenty of jobs right around the country.
"My view is that we will get significant numbers of New Zealanders involved, both in the construction but ultimately long term running businesses attached to the cycle way."
Tracks on DOC land had been completed first because it was easier on Crown-owned land, Mr Key said.
DOC would be repaid $2.377m on the completion of their trails, with 170km still to be finished, he said.
"Construction actually is the easy part of building the trails, the critical time is in the planning and feasibility work we need to ensure that the proposed tracks are possible in an engineering sense and can be constructed within the budget submitted.
"The hard bit is getting consents."
A further 13 cycle trail applicants have provided feasibility reports which could see another 20 trails under construction by the end of next year.
Those applicants have been told to maximise the use of Ministry of Social Development employment schemes.
Mr Key expected those 20 trails could create jobs for 500 people, although he said that figure was "ambitious".
"The real benefit is the long term jobs created by tourism opportunities such as accommodation, cycle guiding."
The Government expected 2000km of track to be ready by October 2011.
