It will take months and hundreds of thousands of dollars to repair about 30km of Tasman’s Great Taste Trail that was damaged in recent floods, but the trust that runs the trail is confident cyclists will be able to ride the full circuit again by summer.
Nelson Tasman Cycle Trail Trust chair, Gillian Wratt, says the sections between Wakefield and Belgrove as well as Woodstock to Brooklyn were hit the hardest, including washouts, one bridge being washed away and concerns about another.
“It’s gut wrenching to see what has happened,” she says. “We’ve had sections damaged in the past, but not as widespread as this.”
Repairs were already underway along the 200km trail before the latest rain delivered more damage, especially to the Wai-iti section, and the strong winds brought trees down. It’s a joint effort getting the trail repaired with support from key stakeholders including Tasman District Council, NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) Waka Kotahi and forestry partners such as OneFortyOne.
She says the trust is also hoping for support from the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) via its NZ Cycle Trails Extreme Weather Response Fund as that would help finance the recovery and ensure the long-term resilience of the trail.
Gillian says the economic benefits from the trail makes it important to have it repaired by summer. An independent analysis in 2023 showed the trail was worth $34 million to the local economy and Gillian says numerous businesses along the trail depend on it.
Between Wakefield and Belgrove, she says, cyclists will be able to ride on the road to get beyond the damaged section, including where the bridge was wiped out. The trust has approached NZTA to see if it will consider temporary speed restrictions and signage to warn drivers there will be cyclists on the highway.
On the section between Woodstock and Brooklyn, she says, much of the trail was on the road that runs along the west bank of the Motueka River which was badly damaged in the first flood, and the highway on the other side of the road is not a safe option. The Pokororo footbridge is still intact, but she says there are concerns about the structure following flooding.
While some sections will be relatively straightforward to repair, she says the others will require more complex planning and construction which will likely take months rather than weeks. But the trust is committed to restoring the trail as quickly as possible for the community, local businesses and the region’s visitors.
“In essence, you will be able to ride the Great Taste Trail loop within the next few months.”
Beyond that, she says, they will need to consider whether parts of the trail need to be moved away from rivers where flooding is an issue. Rerouting the trail away from the river and through private land is not a simple process though and takes time, she says.
Trail users can find out the latest information about the trail on its website, www.heartofbiking.org.nz and social media.
