New trails connecting Westport

Nicole Mathewson Reporter from The Press

A new pedestrian and cycle trail in Westport linking the Buller Bridge to Victoria Square is almost complete, the Buller District Council says.

The project, funded by the Tourism Infrastructure Fund, includes the newly constructed southern connector from the Kawatiri Coastal Trail at the Buller Bridge, along the Esplanade and across the Toki Poutangata Bridge into the town precinct.

The northern connector begins from the Toki Bridge along Adderley St to Lyndhurst St, and then
across to Victoria Square utilising existing roads, footpaths and crossings. Users can then
head north along Queen St to the Floating Basin and the beginning of the Kawatiri River Trails,
including the boardwalks and tracks to North Beach.

New line marking and delineations to identify vehicle and pedestrian corridors along Adderley St will
be accompanied by new parking spaces, speed restrictions and signage to ensure appropriate traffic
flow and calming for safety.

Wayfinding along the trails will include destination billboards and directional bollards to signal points
of interest ahead and distances to go. This will allow users to plan and monitor their route and make
the most of their experience.

Council project manager Glenn Irving said: “This is the next puzzle piece to create a safe,
enjoyable, and easy to follow journey for pedestrians and cyclists through and from Westport to the
amazing environment that surrounds us.”

“An end-to-end connection is integral to Westport’s master plan and our district revitalisation
strategy to position Buller as an attractive place to live, explore and invest.”

The connector trails have been funded through the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment's $300k Tourism TIF,
which the council secured last year at no cost to ratepayers.

The new connector trails are scheduled for completion by the end of this month.