Expect delays on SH25 at Pipiroa for rail trail work

Motorists using SH25 can expect delays around the Piako River bridge from Monday 6 March while a clip-on cycleway is attached to the bridge to form part of the new Kopu to Kaiaua section of the Hauraki Rail Trail.

The state highway will be closed for 10 minutes, around four times per day while the bridge spans are craned in to place. The closures will take place between 8am and 5pm and will be repeated over the coming weeks until all 17 spans are put in place.

NZ Transport Agency Journey Manager, Liam Ryan, says people could face delays of 15 minutes or longer and should plan their journey.

The 250m lightweight steel and timber clip-on cycle lane is a key piece of the Kopu to Kaiaua section of the Hauraki Rail Trail and will provide a safe off-road river crossing for trail users.

The exact timing of the intermittent closures will be determined on the day because of the complexity of the job.

The Kopu to Kaiaua section is expected to be complete before winter and joins the already existing legs of the Hauraki Rail Trail between Te Aroha and Thames and Paeroa and Waihi.

Hauraki District Council, Thames-Coromandel District Council and NZTA have each contributed $1 million to the $4.2 million cost of building the final leg of the trail. A further $1.2 million is still needed to cover the last 15km from Pūkorokoro/Miranda to Kaiaua. For now, this section can be covered on the East Coast Road, which sees relatively little traffic.

Meanwhile Auckland Council is looking at the possibility of building a cycleway from the city to Kaiaua to link up to the Hauraki Rail Trail.

For more on the Hauraki Rail Trail go to our web page www.tcdc.govt.nz/hrt

Motorists can get real-time travel information from:

• 0800 4 HIGHWAYS (0800 44 44 49)
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• www.nzta.govt.nz/traffic

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Changes in the wind

(Diane Drummond, new Hauraki Rail Trail General Manager. Photo: Andrew Whyte)

As cycleway construction proceeds, there have been some changes to the management structure of the Hauraki Rail Trail.

Diane Drummond was appointed general manager in January and at the end of March, Great Cycle Rides NZ won't be renewing its contract as the Principal Trail Operator (PTO). This contract saw Great Cycle Rides NZ responsible for the day-to-day management of the trail, the development of the booking system and website, and the marketing of the trail. The only payment the PTO has received for these services has been from concessions (as a percentage of commission received through the booking system).

This revenue has been less than forecast because fewer than expected trail users are booking multi-day trips through the PTO's booking system.

Hauraki Rail Trail Charitable Trust Chair Wati Ngamane says participating councils (Hauraki, Thames-Coromandel, and Matamata-Piako) have recently agreed to underwrite maintenance of the trail and a significant portion of the Trust’s operating costs, making income from the booking system less crucial.

Ms Drummond will take over many of the responsibilities of the PTO.
Her tourism career began at Bayline Coaches 25 years ago where she was the sales and marketing manager. From there her career has taken her around the world selling local experiences and package tours to international markets. She’s completed an MBA (Master of Business Administration) at Waikato University, worked for Tourism BOP in business development, lectured at BOP Polytechnic, and spent the last three years in Wellington developing and managing the Government’s fledgling $8million Tourism Growth Partnership fund.

During her time in the capital, she worked with a dedicated panel of tourism professionals who led the decision to invest in more than $100 million of new tourism infrastructure. This included developing the downhill mountain bike track (MTB) at Skyline in Rotorua to race standards, which led to the internationally renowned Crankworx MTB festival making Rotorua a regular stop on its tour circuit.

Encouraging trail users to come now, do more, and come back, will be an early focus for Drummond, who plans to spend plenty of time doing just that herself.

There are already some gems on the trail, such as the Karangahake Gorge and Kaiaua’s shorebird sanctuary, but she sees much bigger opportunities than that.

“It’s the unexpected journeys. Old miner’s tracks, maritime parks, and farm stays. There’s a huge opportunity here to tell so many of our stories and create business opportunities around them. We also have a fantastic range of artisans, boutique cheese makers, and cafes,” she says.

Her role will also involve liaising with central government organisations and funding partners. The trail enjoys a privileged position as one of only 23 Great Rides in the New Zealand Cycle Trail network.

Safe river crossing

NZTA is funding the cycleway attachment that is being clipped on to the Piako River Bridge. It will allow cyclists to cross the river in safety, separate from motorists on SH25.

The cycleway runs along stopbanks past some of best locations for spotting migratory shorebirds in New Zealand.

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