Design work has started to complete the State Highway 88 walking and cycling pathway to Port Chalmers, and construction could yet be accelerated, New Zealand Transport Agency staff say.
Projects team manager Simon Underwood confirmed that a $570,000 contract - including geotechnical testing - had been awarded to Beca, allowing it to begin work designing the missing piece of the pathway.
Construction funding would be sought after Beca's design work was completed, expected to be by the end of the year, he said.
Despite that, Mr Underwood expected the year-long construction period was already ''provisionally'' set to begin in early to mid-2016.
Variables yet to be resolved within the design phase relating to engineering, land use and resource consents would determine exactly when work could start.
NZTA staff were also considering the feasibility of an earlier start to construction for one section of the path, which did not require marine consents.
The update came after NZTA staff last year indicated that completing the pathway would cost ''several million dollars'' to build, with reclamation of about 5500sq m of harbour needed to make enough room for the project.
Mr Underwood, speaking on Friday, said reclamation was still planned as part of the project, ''but to what extent we won't know until we are further through the design phase''.
The estimated construction cost stood at $6 million before design work began, but would be updated once that stage of work was completed.
