Christchurch’s first complete ‘shovel-ready’ project has been completed.

The $7.85 million final stage of the Rapanui-Shag Rock cycleway was opened this morning.

It is one of six cycle routes to benefit from the Government’s ‘shovel-ready’ COVID-19 infrastructure fund and is the latest addition to the Christchurch City Council’s Major Cycle Routes.

 Work began on the first stage of the cycleway in Linwood back in 2015.

The cycleway includes a total of 7.4km of shared paths and neighbourhood greenways, connecting three schools and pre-schools, as well as eight parks and reserves.

This new section takes riders from Dyers Road to the Ferrymead Bridge.

Part of the new Rapanui Shag Rock cycle route.

It goes through Charlesworth Reserve, a tidal wetland home to native birds and more than 100,000 trees and shrubs, before connecting back to Humphreys Drive on the reserve side of the Ferrymead shops.

Two new signalised crossings on Humphreys Drive provide safe crossing points for people using the cycleway, and provide a connection to the Ferrymead Bridge to Redcliffs section of the Christchurch Coastal Pathway.