The new cycleway will eventually connect Victoria Park with Albert Park. Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone
Aucklanders can now cycle through more of the city centre.
Auckland Council have opened a section of the cycleway along Victoria Street from Federal Street, through to Queen Street, from midday Friday.
Described as a vital link in the city centre's cycle network, the new two-way cycleway will connect Victoria Park and the Nelson Street cycleway to Queen Street.
Auckland Council city centre priority location director Simon Oddie said the upgrade was funded largely by the city centre targeted rate (CCTR) - a rate paid by city centre commercial and residential property owners to fund initiatives that enhanced and re-energised Auckland's city centre.
"Anyone coming into midtown now will see, construction fences around these midtown works are diminishing, and the quality of design and careful staging of many layers of renewal are becoming visible," he said.
"Four years ago, the council group started implementing plans to make moving around the city centre easier and safer for all users. This included dedicated streets for buses, cycleways and walking.
"This opening marks another key step forward, as Victoria Street becomes a purpose-designed, tree-lined street with one lane of vehicles in each direction, connected laneways, wide footpaths with places to sit and spend time, and now a cycleway.
"By promoting active modes of transport, we're giving people real choices in how they move around, while making the city centre more vibrant, sustainable and easier to navigate, ahead of the opening of the City Rail Link next year," Oddie said.
The cycleway has been designed to keep riders physically separate from traffic, offering a protected route.
Auckland Council said this new dedicated bike lane, with the section outside the station delivered by City Rail Link Limited, is a key element of the vision for Te Hā Noa, which is the central city's emerging green link.
Native planting, mature trees, wide footpaths and new seating is already in place in two sections - Elliott Street to Queen Street and High Street to Albert Park - according to the council.
Auckland Transport active modes head Tania Loveridge said cycling in Auckland had grown five percent on average per annum over the last three years.
"Creating new infrastructure like Te Hā Noa, with this new section of safe and protected cycleway now complete, will help encourage more people to get on bikes," she said.
"This is an exciting new link, which extends our city centre cycling network and will provide a seamless connection with the northern entrance into Te Waihorotiu Station.
"It's all part of creating a safe and connected city centre that is easy to get around, regardless of how people choose to travel," she said. "Bring your bike on the ferry, train or the Northern Express, or ride in along the many cycle paths linking the region and re-discover a city centre that's ready to be explored."
Auckland Council said the plan was for the Victoria Street cycleway, including the newly opened section between Federal Street and Queen Street, to connect Victoria Park with Albert Park.
Construction of the last section between Queen Street and High Street is expected to be operational at the end of 2026.
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