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The Dunedin City Council has unveiled plans for a $1.2 million shared cycle and pedestrian bridge over the Water of Leith and construction is set to start next month.
Council group manager transport Richard Saunderssaid work on the bridge was expected to start once planning and detailed design of the bridge was complete.
"The bridge will give pedestrians and cyclists an elegant, easy connection from the SH88 shared path to the central city or around the inner harbour to the Peninsula.”
The bridge would span the Leith between the railway and the harbour and some landscaping would be done around the bridge to make the area more attractive.
Infrastructure Services and Networks Committee chairwoman Kate Wilson praised the design.
"I’m delighted to see this work getting underway.
"The design chosen is a fantastic blend of art and function and will give us a more direct route across the water, strengthening links around our beautiful harbour," Cr Wilson said.
Mr Saunders said the bridge design was developed by DC Structures Studio and would be constructed by Edifice Contracts.
The DCC would work to minimise disruption to the public during construction.
"During construction, we’ll retain access to the existing cycleways as much as possible, with any detours clearly marked. The work will not affect access to events at the stadium."
The cable-stay bridge would feature a 20m high steel mast, and steelwork encased in durable glue-bonded timber. The deck surface would be non-slip planking.
Construction was expected to be complete by the end of August. Design and construction of the bridge was expected to cost about $1.2 million.
Work on the planned cycleways running along Anzac Ave and the railway line, around the base of the harbour and along Portsmouth Dr was also likely to start around March.