Some of Tasman’s Great Taste Trail users may be wondering what is happening at the Richmond Deviation / Māpua turnoff.
The Nelson Regional Sewerage Business Unit (NRSBU) is upgrading pipes. This means the trail running directly between Nelson and Richmond on the Richmond Deviation, opposite the Aquatic Centre, will be closed for up to three months.
For users to continue to travel between Nelson and Richmond on this route without major detours, two things have happened, and the Nelson Tasman Cycle Trails Trust is extremely grateful.
The Nelson Alliance plant generously granted access to the Alliance Underpass, formerly used to get stock under the road.
... And, the NRSBU has agreed to build an added piece on the trail to allow the Alliance Underpass to connect to the existing underpass.
While this route won’t be as direct as riders are used to, it will mean they can still get between Nelson and Richmond without going on the road, while the work takes place.
The new trail to the Alliance Underpass on Champion Road is being sealed with asphalt.
The Alliance Underpass will become the main underpass for users wanting to go from the Coastal Route into the Champion Road area and vice versa – the good thing is this underpass does not flood at high tides and will be more direct.
Another change to this area is that entry to the Alliance Reserve is being moved to the big stump which removes the blind corner that was at this turn-off point.