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Dunedin's $8 million cycleway on the city’s one-way system has the support of educational, motoring and cycling interests — but it has been given an overwhelming black mark by many Otago Daily Times readers.
Motoring advocate the Automobile Association said yesterday while it was concerned about a loss of parking, it was pleased to see the project going ahead.
Cycling advocate Spokes also supported a project it said should increase the number of cyclists on a safer route.
That came after two affected parties in the first stage of the cycleway, the Otago Museum and University of Otago, yesterday got behind the project.
However, the ODT Facebook page attracted plenty of negative comment.
Of the more than 350 comments, the vast majority opposed the project.
The responses included everything from suggesting the money should be spent on Dunedin Hospital, to those who thought cyclists should pay registration fees.
Many bemoaned the loss of 258 car parks. One even suggested it would be "cheaper to buy all Dunedin cyclists a car".
The NZ Transport Agency this week confirmed work would start in May on the separated cycleway on Dunedin’s one-way system, with two routes running north and south on the State Highway between Queen’s Gardens and the Dunedin Botanic Garden.
The project was intended to provide safe cycling on a roading system over-represented in fatal and serious crashes involving cyclists.The first stretch of the project, funded by the NZTA, would be built between the botanic garden and Albany St.
Final details, including the exact number and placement of parks, are still to be finalised.
AA Otago District Council deputy chairman Alan Race said the organisation had been involved as the project was developed.
"It’s good to see it happening," Mr Race said.
The cycleway had been on AA’s agendas "for several years".
The organisation was initially concerned about a cycleway on State Highway 1.
"But it’s inevitable that’s where it has to be, and so if that’s where it has to be, as long as best practice standards are followed, we can’t ask for more than that."
The AA’s "big concern" was contact between cyclists and motorists.
"Certainly, we can’t have cyclists in contact with vehicles. It’s just got to be safe."
Compromises had been made with the latest plan having added parking, but there was still a loss of parking.
"We would be looking to the Dunedin City Council to address that need as much as possible."
Mr Race said all types of transport had to fit on Dunedin roads.
"Somehow we’ve got to all fit."
Spokes chairman Jon Dean said the group was "pretty excited" the project was getting close to the construction phase.
"In general we think it’s going to be a really good asset for the city, and especially for cyclists to get from North Dunedin to the university and to town.
"It’s going to be a real change to how cyclists get from the north to the south."
Lanes protected from traffic mitigated all the risks cyclists had to face in the past, risks that resulted in the deaths of four cyclists in the past few years on the one-ways.
Spokes wanted to be involved as the final details of the first stage were put in place before construction in May.
Both the AA and Spokes said they were happy with the consultation they had had with the NZTA.
A spokesman for the Alhambra-Union Rugby Club, which could lose most of more than 50 parks either side of its North Ground home, said the club did not want to discuss the matter until after its next meeting early next month.