Christchurch Major Cycle Routes

WSP is playing a leading role in developing a network of 13 major cycle routes for Christchurch City Council, linking shopping areas, businesses, schools, parks and popular recreation destinations across Christchurch, including the outer suburbs. The Christchurch uni-cycle major cycle route, led by WSP, was completed in 2018 and two further routes.

Location

Christchurch, New Zealand

Client

Christchurch City Council

Project Value

$5M (scheme, business case, design and MSQA, safety audits) $40M (construction)

Project Status

Christchurch Uni-cycle major cycle route 2018, two further routes underway.

Awards

2018 Bike to the Future Award

Cycleways for all ages and abilities

The purpose of the cycleways is to attract people to use cycling as a viable transport option, including those who are concerned about safety. To deliver this, the cycleways were designed to be suitable for a 10-year old through urban design and careful consideration of traffic calming, markings and signage to reduce vehicle speeds alongside cycle and pedestrian infrastructure.

WSP is proud to deliver a project that has seen people in Christchurch change their travel behaviour ditching the car for a healthier and a more environmentally friendly travel mode.

Shelley Perfect, Technical Director Transport Infrastructure.

Christchurch Uni-cycle major cycle route

Key facts

Eighteen months after opening, Christchurch City Council’s Uni-Cycle route has increased cyclist usage by 50% - three years ahead of predictions.
As of 2018, more people travel to work by bike than by bus.
2018 Bike to the Future Awards Built Excellence Award and Supreme Winner.

Unique value delivered

WSP worked closely with the University of Canterbury and Riccarton Bush Trust to shape a design that is cognisant of heritage, protected trees, ecology, business and community needs whilst ensuring a high level of service for cyclists.
We delivered a high-quality safety audit and network functionality review process through the route assessment and concept design phases to ensure a breadth of factors were considered in the choice of route alignment and route type and the effects on all modes were considered along with safety, business and community effects, environment effects.
Our design ensured that traffic volumes and speed was reduced through innovative road crossings that also discouraged through traffic including heavy vehicles from using the route.