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A lethal corner on the Matakana to Omaha cycle trail has been fixed after community biking enthusiasts decided something must be done.
The problematic section of track lay between Takatu Road and Jones Road. Cyclists approaching from Matakana were faced with a downhill slope with a one in four gradient that ended in a near 90-degree turn on gravel.
Over the years, numerous riders have fallen off, suffering broken limbs and even one broken neck.
Cyclist Heather Johnstone says she was obliged to walk her bike up or down the hill and around the corner, fearing she would do herself a serious injury if she attempted to ride it.
That led her to “volunteer” her husband Malcolm, who had access to appropriate earthmoving equipment such as diggers and rollers to change the layout of the trail to soften the corner and reduce the steep gradient.
Heather says approval to make the changes was secured relatively quickly from Auckland Council, possibly because the Johnstones agreed to fund all the work.
Members of Warkworth Riders volunteered their labour to help carve out the new section of track. Work started just before Christmas and was finished before the New Year.
In addition to the track, the volunteers also installed weed matting along the sides of the track and intend to do some planting in the autumn to improve the track’s visual appeal.
Warkworth Riders spokesperson Denis Horner says the advent of ebikes made the changes even more important.
Ebike riders were often obliged to push their heavy bikes up the hill and their weight made them even more of a liability if they attempted to ride them downhill.
