Frequently asked questions

Work in the current area in Te Atatū South started in 2024.

In the later half of 2026.

We would like to! Detailed design work confirmed that funding received through National Infrastructure Funding and Financing, previously CIP, would only cover some of the construction costs. The focus is on the areas providing much-needed local connections.

The Horowai (Roberts Field) Connection connects Roberts Road to SH16. This will be an entry point to Te Whau Pathway and a key connection point between the existing North Western cycleway and the proposed bus interchange at Te Atatū. View Area 1 maps.

With the NIFF funding, we will be focusing on building the boardwalk.

With Henderson-Massey Local Board funding, we will build māra hūpara play elements and formalise the water access at Horowai | Roberts Field.

We don’t know when future funding will be available to build the rest of the path.

Te Whau Pathway Environmental Trust, in partnership with Auckland Council, will continue to advocate for the project. When we have additional funding for the remaining sections of the path, we will announce it on this website.

As soon as more funding becomes available, we are ready to build because Auckland Council has consulted on the design of the whole pathway, not just one section. The resource consent is from Green Bay to Te Atatū South.

The whole length of the pathway including existing sections and proposed sections (main alignment and connector paths) is 15km.

This proposed bridge crossing is a safe and convenient connection for people biking and walking between the two parks Rizal Reserve and Ken Maunder Park. It also adds connections to the Avondale Racecourse.

Yes, the Rata Street crossing does go across the river, but it doesn’t provide a safe direct connection between the two parks and won’t connect people to the wider Te Whau Pathway – including links to SH16, Green Bay, etc in the future. The Whau Local Board have also made the bridge crossing a high priority as it connects New Lynn and Avondale communities.

The pathway will connect to other paths, such as the New Lynn to Avondale Cycleway and Northwestern Cycleway (SH16). Auckland Transport are one of our project partners. We have worked together to identify how to integrate Te Whau Pathway into the existing network. View our Alignment map with connections.

These additional connections across the Whau River were not included in the resource consent proposal and are not currently being considered. A major bridge structure would be needed for both connections, that would be complex, costly to build and restrict boat passage in and out of these areas.

Some early construction work in 2023 included some mangrove removal. The chosen construction methodology, “build from the top”, means reduced impact on the surrounding environment.

There are resource consent conditions that we need to comply with while removing mangroves and these will help to minimise the environmental impacts of mangrove removal; these include removing mangroves as close to the sediment as possible and leaving the roots intact where possible.

The minimum distance between the high tide mark and the underside of the boardwalk is currently proposed to be 1.06m. In some places where the pathway crosses other tributaries, such as Wairau Creek, the pathway will be more than 1.06m above the high tide mark.

There are over 165 resource consent conditions on the construction of the pathway, most of which relate to minimising the impact of the build on the environment. Here’s some examples of work we’re doing in this space:

• Carrying out surveys of local fauna (such as lizards and bats) before starting any works
• Timing activities such as vegetation removal outside of bird nesting season to minimise disturbance on bird species
• During construction, we are working to manufacture as many of the building materials as possible off site so that the impact on the local environment is minimised.

The project is monitoring its carbon and waste footprint through a reporting programme called Moata.

Moata’s purpose is to identify carbon hotspots in projects and facilitate low carbon design. The tool helps make informed choices by comparing materials, assets, and construction techniques. Find out more about the Moata Carbon Portal.

FRP is a mesh made from fiberglass and resin. Our design team considered a range of decking options, including timber, and the FRP option achieved the best balance between durability, sustainability, cost effectiveness and user safety. In particular FRP will be easier to maintain, offers more slip resistance than other options and reduces noise and surface heat. It has a lifespan of 50 years!

Te Whau Pathway follows one of the two traditional Māori taonga waka (portage routes) between the Waitematā and Manukau Harbours. Te Kawerau a Maki and Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei are project partners and have been engaged throughout the design phase and have worked together to develop a cultural design for the first sections of the boardwalk balustrade.

Many of the on-land sections wind through existing parks. Many – but not all of these parks – have toilets, picnic tables and access to water.

We will endeavour to ensure that these facilities are available along the pathway.

We will be in integrating various nature play elements along the length of the pathway. Auckland Council has finished the new playground at Archibald Park and we are currently working on a play space at Horowai (Roberts Field) with māra hūpara expert Harko Brown. Horowai has funding from Henderson-Massey Local Board.

Boardwalk sections will be 4m wide and concrete path sections will be 3m wide. The boardwalk is on the wider side of similar structures around Auckland. Most similar paths (like the boardwalks in Orewa and Hobsonville) are between 2.5 and 3.5m wide. The boardwalk width will be similar to the new Westhaven Promenade in St Mary’s Bay (Auckland Central) which is around 4.1m wide.

Where there is a transition from boardwalk to existing concrete path, the boardwalk will be 4m, and the pathway will gradually reduce in width down to 3m in the concrete section. There may also be opportunities to have signage and interpretation at these ‘transition’ points.  Any transition areas will also be designed to be fully accessible for all users.

Yes, the boardwalk sections will be lit at night for user safety. Lights will be embedded into the handrails at a height of 1.2m, and designed so that light is directed down onto the boardwalk to minimise any light spill and glare.

The lighting spectrum we are proposing is ‘warm’ rather than ‘cool’ which will help to minimise both light pollution and wildlife disturbance.

We are keen to celebrate the Whau River and its history through the design of the pathway. As part of detailed design, we’ll be looking into how artwork and interpretive panels could be used for storytelling.

Information may be displayed in different ways. For example, some of the pūrākau (stories) will be integrated into boardwalk elements, while others will be captured online, on the project website.

There will be several different types of water access. The lookout pods with water access has access to the water directly off the boardwalk. It will be fixed to the boardwalk and will have access down to the water. Water access from land based locations will include both fixed and floating pontoon options to provide intertidal access where possible. Water access elements will be constructed as budget allows.

Estimates suggest there will be around 820 daily trips on the pathway in 2027, and 900 daily trips by 2029.

Auckland Council is working closely with those landowners whose property is in close proximity to the pathway, to explore how options like vegetation screening or fencing could reduce privacy and security concerns. These conversations will continue as more funding becomes available for other sections of the pathway.

August 2019 assessment for 2026 trips

Section 1	140	455	600
Section 2	185	455	640
Section 3	560	455	1,010
Section 4	250	455	700
Section 5	530	455	990
Average	360	455	820

Updated assessment for 2028 trips

Section 1	350	450	800
Section 2	360	450	810
Section 3	640	450	1,090
Section 4	340	450	790
Section 5	580	450	1,030
Average	360	450	820