Board chairman Steve Walker yesterday told the Otago Daily Times three stakeholders involved in the final $25million stage of the shared path to Port Chalmers - KiwiRail, the NZ Transport Agency and Dunedin City Council - had to sign a memorandum of understanding to complete the project.
KiwiRail had asked for changes to the agreement, which the two other parties had agreed to, but the paperwork had then remained unsigned by the company for "months", he said.
The agreement needed to be signed before the contract to build the final stage could be put out for tender and work begun.
The issue had been raised again at the West Harbour Community Board meeting on Wednesday, but the only assurance given was the agreement would be finalised "soon", Mr Walker said.
"Everything about the completion of every stage has been `very soon'.
"It's annoying for us because moving into a market where there's going to be a lot of work in Dunedin, my worry would be the $25million put aside to complete the cycleway and the road safety measures will not be enough.
"I think the longer we wait, the more likely we move into territory of the amount of money put aside won't be enough.
"That would be tremendously disappointing."
However, KiwiRail property group general manager Stephanie Campbell said the company remained committed to completing the project "as soon as is practically possible".
A licence to occupy and a project agreement between KiwiRail and the NZTA had been agreed and signed by the NZTA.
KiwiRail expected to sign and return the documents to the NZTA today, she said.
"Now that the terms are agreed for the use of the rail corridor, we are not aware of any delays."
NZTA project manager Jason Forbes also insisted there was "no further hold-up".
"With any project of this nature, there is a need for co-operation and mutual understanding of each other's aims as the details are finalised.
"We are working together with KiwiRail to progress this shared path and we understand how important it is for KiwiRail to have its rail corridor from Port Chalmers well protected and the need for care where construction contracts involve a substantial period of work near live rail lines."
The project remained "on track" for construction to begin late in 2019-20, he said.
The NZTA announced in May last year the final 5km section of the path would be funded, following a series of delays, although the cost of the project had blown out from up to $10million to between $20million and $25million.
In April, the ODT reported the long-awaited final 5km section of the cycleway-walkway project - linking St Leonards and Port Chalmers alongside SH88 - was about to be tendered, with construction to follow soon after.
Mr Walker acknowledged KiwiRail was a "key community partner" in the West Harbour area, and that the NZTA had worked "very hard" to advance the project, but said he hoped to see progress soon.
