The cost of road improvements including a cycleway on Otago Peninsula have blown out, but the project is set to go ahead.
The Dunedin City Council announced this morning a cost estimate rising from $20 million to $49 million.
That came after work on a detailed design, when it became apparent forecasted costs were ''substantially under-estimated'', council transport group manager Richard Saunders said.
Mr Saunders also said the design for the work on Portobello Rd had been chosen, with a shared pedestrian/cycle path rather than a separated path.
That will upset the cycle lobby, which has called for a seperate cycleway on safety grounds.
Mr Saunders said the process to appoint a contractor for the Peninsula Connection road safety improvement project was about to begin, with work on the project expected to start later this year.
The NZ Transport Agency had reviewed the new business case for the project and agreed to fund their share, which was around $27 million, 55% of the cost.
Design plans would be available in July, with details of pullover areas, beach access and safe crossing points.
The council would have an open day in July where the public could view the plans.
The project would be put out for tender in August and work was expected to start in October or November.
The decision on where works would start would be made before the tender process begins in August.
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Comments
A mere 150% cost increase without explanation, but with a wink and a nod the additional cost to ratepayers is just passed off as she'll be right!
At budget time excruciating public reviews look at all sorts of minutiae trying to pare $20k here, $50k there. But along comes a monumental cost blow out for a bike lane and we are fobbed off with the line "the cycle lobby won't be happy with a shared path".
DCC need to find an additional $13 million for this bike track. Just which programs are going to be stopped to pander to this whimsy? How can the mayor and his mates justify this waste?
When is this cycleway lunacy going to end for God's sake, do these people think the ratepayers are printing money at home - the money wasting has to STOP.
In one area on Portobello Road we counted three cycle lanes resulting in narrow lanes for motor vehicles. Motor vehicles are subject to road user fees, cycles aren't. It would seem that cyclists have more rights than those actually paying, where's the fairness?
''substantially under-estimated'' is preposterous! "the cycle lobby won't be happy with a shared path" this is the most sensible solution for both cyclists and pedestrians to get them off the roadway. I'm a cyclist, pedestrian and motorist and the shared path is the best option for all. The share walk/cycle path works just fine on the other side of the harbour. Walkers just need to learn to share a bit more and keep left.