Cyclists use the new southbound cycleway on Cumberland St yesterday afternoon. PHOTO: PETER MCINTOSH

The majority of Dunedin's new southbound Cumberland St cycleway is now painted and is "operationally" finished, the NZ Transport Agency says.

The agency's projects team manager, Simon Underwood, said some higher-wear areas would need to be coated with a different type of paint but he did not know when that work would be completed.

It was working on the northbound Great King St cycleway at the same time, he said.

Concrete traffic islands still needed to be cemented down, and one of the last considerations would be the planting of trees.

The new cycleways heading north and south along Dunedin's one-way street system have come in for criticism from cyclists, who have complained about them being too narrow and said cars and pedestrians often block cyclists' paths.

However, other cyclists have said they make them feel safer while travelling through the centre of the city.

Mr Underwood was also aware some cyclists were concerned about the green paint becoming slippery in winter, but said the paint met NZTA's "typical skid resistance requirement".