We’re building the next stage of the Nor'West Arc cycleway to make it safer and easier for people to cycle in Bryndwr. We're also upgrading wastewater pipes in the area at the same time.

Sign up for updates about the Nor'West Arc cycleway

In January 2025, work began on constructing the northernmost section of Te Ara O-Rakipaoa Nor'West Arc cycleway. We're also completing wastewater pipe renewals in the area, installing a new stormwater network, making water supply upgrades, and completing a street renewal on Aorangi Road.

These projects have been programmed together to ensure a coordinated approach to work in the area. The work is being completed in three stages, with the full project scope expected to be complete by mid-2026.

View the traffic impacts drop-down tab below for information on the current phase of work and associated impacts.

Businesses are open

Businesses are open throughout the works, and customers are encouraged to continue visiting as usual.

Parking will continue to be signposted, although the locations may adapt as work progresses. Please follow the signs. Footpath detours are also in place to ensure safe pedestrian access to businesses and through the work area. 

Work to construct the next section of the Nor’West Arc cycleway has been timed with significant Three Waters upgrades, to ensure a coordinated approach to work in the area.

The construction programme is scheduled to begin on 13 January and is expected to wrap up around mid-2026. The work will be delivered in three stages.

Key works for all three stages of the project

  • We will be replacing old wastewater pipes on Wairakei Road, Aorangi Road, and Matsons Avenue, installing a new stormwater network, and making water supply upgrades.
  • We will be extending the cycleway along the full length of Aorangi Road and Matsons Avenue, connected by a short section on Condell Avenue.
    • Between the intersection of Ilam/Aorangi roads and Truman Road, the cycleway will take the form of a shared path, due to the narrow width of the road through this section.
    • From Truman Road, the remainder of the cycleway will be two-way (bi-directional). See the image below for an example of a two-way cycleway. Note that the previous section of the Nor'West Arc cycleway instead takes the form of single cycle lanes that run along each side of the road.
    • The cycleway will be located along the northwestern side of Aorangi Road, the western side of Condell Avenue and the southeastern side of Matsons Avenue.

Visualisation Aorangi Wairakei Intersection

  • We will be making safety improvements at the intersection of Aorangi Road and Wairakei Road. These include:
    • A signalised and raised pedestrian crossing, making it safer and easier for cyclists (and pedestrians) to get across Wairakei Road. By raising the level of pedestrian crossings, it reminds drivers and cyclists to slow down so they can stop for people at the crossing. It also makes the people crossing more visible to drivers.
    • Layout changes at the Aorangi Road entry/exit points that allow left-in, left-out only. This will prevent traffic (besides cyclists) from continuing across to the next section of Aorangi Road, whether approaching from the north or south. The alternative route north would be via Greers Road and for traffic heading south, Ilam Road – both which can be reached via Wairakei Road. The new layout will make this busy intersection safer for everyone.
    • View the design of the intersection here. [PNG, 257 KB]
  • We will be completing a street renewal on Aorangi Road.
Example of a two-way cycleway

Example of a two-way cycleway

Throughout the project, there will be temporary traffic management in place to keep road users and contractors safe. Please take care to follow signage and reduce speeds when travelling through the work site.

Current impacts

  • Until 31 July (end of day), the citybound lane on Wairakei Road is one-way for traffic travelling towards the city in a southeast direction. Detours are in place for airport-bound traffic. The road will then be reinstated to two-way traffic.
  • Aorangi Road (north) is open one-way for southbound traffic only, with entry from Condell Avenue and left-turn exit only onto Wairakei Road. There is no entry/exit at Christian Street and Wallace Street where they intersect Aorangi Road (north). These impacts will be in place until the end of October.
  • Until early August, Aorangi Road (south) is closed between Wairakei Road and Brookside Terrace, with access maintained for residents and businesses only. 

From early August:

  • Access from Wairakei Road onto Aorangi Road (south) will be one-way southbound to Bateman Avenue. This will be in place until December. The east and west Brookside Avenue approaches onto Aorangi Road will be temporarily closed.  

Workers will be on-site Monday to Saturday, 7am to 6pm, but the lane and road closures will be in place at all times.

View the latest work notice(external link).

Road works Nor'West Arc cycleway

The project is being completed in three stages:

  • Stage 1: Aorangi Road, between Brookside Terrace and Condell Avenue; this includes the Wairakei Road/Aorangi Road intersection. Isaac Construction is the contractor for Stage One works (January to December 2025).
  • Stage 2: Aorangi Road, between Ilam Road and Brookside Terrace. 
  • Stage 3: Condell Avenue and Matsons Avenue to Harewood Road.

Stages may overlap, whereby some work continues in an area while work at the next area starts.

The entire project is expected to be completed by approximately mid-2026.

Phasing of work

Each stage will also have different phases of work, marked by distinct changes in things such as the work area and the traffic management in place. We will send out Start Work notices for each phase of work, which will provide the specific details of the work and its impacts.

We'll keep up-to-date information on the impacts of the current phase in the tab below.

Keep in the loop

Subscribers of our general project updates(external link) will be notified by email when the project moves into a new stage/phase and there are changes to traffic management and the work area layout. We may also let you know about key milestones we've achieved.

If you would like to receive more information about the project's progress from our contractor, Isaac Construction, you can sign up(external link) for their email updates, which will be sent more regularly. Additionally, residents or businesses located within, or close to, the work area can sign up for the contractor's site-specific text alerts and email updates on the work(external link). 

The cycleway route

Te Ara O-Rakipaoa Nor'West Arc cycleway connects cyclists from Cashmere to Bryndwr, via Spreydon, Middleton, Riccarton and Ilam. The route begins at Princess Margaret Hospital in Cashmere and is currently open as far as Jellie Park Recreation and Sport Centre on Ilam Road.

The cycleway provides a safer route for cyclists to get to school, university, work, pools and gym, parks, and local shops. Making it safer for people to bike helps reduce congestion, lowers emissions and makes it easier for cyclists to get around. 

New section – under construction

North of the intersection of Aorangi and Ilam roads, we're extending the cycleway along the full length of Aorangi Road, then onto Condell Avenue and up Matsons Avenue to Harewood Road. Find more information in the sections above about how this work will be staged. 

Nor West Arc new section on Aorangi Road and Matsons Avenue

When this section has been constructed, the route will be complete, except for a short section at approximately the midpoint of the route, along Annex Road.

We will come back to the Annex Road section, between Birmingham Road and Blenheim Road, at a later date. We'll need to work alongside KiwiRail to improve safety and access at the level crossing that intersects the route. 

Decision making

At their meeting on Thursday 3 February 2022, the Urban Development and Transport Committee approved the revised scheme design of the Major Cycleway Route Nor’West Arc Section 3.

See the meeting agenda(external link) and minutes(external link) for more information.