The trail will take in scenic seaside views along the Kaikōura coast.

A post-quake cycleway on the east coast of the South Island has a bridge to cross. In fact, several bridges.

But it's a problem the team behind the Marlborough Kaikōura Trail will get over, one way or another.

Multiple rivers and streams between Picton and Kaikōura have been identified along the proposed 200-kilometre route, sparking debate on how and where best to cross.

SCOTT HAMMOND/STUFF ​Marlborough Kaikōura Trail trustee Ian McNabb says the team is "philosophically opposed" to using bridges on the rebuilt SH1.

​Marlborough Kaikōura Trail trustee Ian McNabb said the team was "philosophically opposed" to using bridges on the rebuilt State Highway 1, as it detracted from the trail's experience.

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"The vision is quite clearly a continuous trail of powerful experience, driven by our unique stories, myths and legends," McNabb said.

SUPPLIED/RĀTĀ FOUNDATION The Rātā Foundation released a video showcasing their support for the cycle trail along State Highway 1.

Wine industry figure John Forrest first floated the coastal trail idea in January 2017, to be developed while the highway was getting rebuilt following the 7.8-magnitude Kaikōura quake.

The trail had since received $60,000 from the Marlborough District Council, $60,000 from the Rātā Foundation and $30,000 from the Lotteries Earthquake Fund to help spur its development.

In March, the council agreed to include up to $2 million in funds for the cycle trail project as part of its long-term plan, with the money coming from the council's forestry and land development reserve.

RICKY WILSON/STUFF The Irongate Bridge, north of Mangamaunu, is one of several bridges along the Marlborough Kaikōura Trail.

Building the trail was estimated to cost $20.3 million and the trust aimed to complete the trail by 2020.

The first of five big waterway problems along the route was at the Awatere Bridge, north of Seddon, McNabb said.

But after several consultations with KiwiRail, it was agreed the former road beneath the old Awatere Bridge, now the Awatere Road Rail Bridge, would be replaced to form part of the route.

SUPPLIED The State Highway 1 Awatere Bridge, in foreground, sits next to the old Awatere Bridge in 2012.

McNabb said the agreement was a "huge win" for the Marlborough Kaikōura Trail.

"When I was a kid living in Ward, the biggest excitment you could get was riding across the bridge while the train was going across the top," McNabb said.

"There are a couple health and safety issues we have to work through but ... it fits in neatly with our plans to cross the Awatere Bridge."

SUPPLIED A train on top of the old Awatere Bridge, now the Awatere Road Rail Bridge, in 2011.

Figures from the trust's draft budget plan showed the old Awatere Bridge was expected to cost about $1.65 million to repair.

McNabb presented his findings to the council's assets and services committee last Wednesday.

Councillor Cynthia Brooks asked McNabb who would maintain the old Awatere Bridge once it was repaired.

McNabb said there would be some "long discussions about that".

"At the end of the day, there will be some trust funding, but there will also be funding from Government in terms of [the old Awatere Bridge] in particular, [as] that's a KiwiRail asset," McNabb said.

McNabb said decisions were still being made on how to cross the Ure River, south of Ward.

There was no water in the river for about 90 per cent of the year, he said.

"Initially we thought, 'OK, we'll just cross on the State Highway 1 bridge', but we don't think that's a goer," McNabb said.

"We've priced into [the budget] the fact that we may well have to bridge the Ure River in some way."

McNabb said the trust was also deciding how to bridge the Tirohanga straight, which sat between Ward and Clarence.

"The Tirohanga straight, which used to be a bit of a swamp, is now a large wetlands area following the earthquake," McNabb said.

"There's been a pretty significant bridge put in by KiwiRail to cross [the straight]."

There were also concerns around the bridging of the Clarence River, near Clarence, he said.

"The best option appears to be a clip-on on the northern side of the rail bridge," McNabb said.

This was expected to cost about $1.8 million to construct.

A clip-on section was also proposed for the rail bridge near Mangamaunu, downstream of the State Highway 1 bridge.

A feasibility study sanctioned by the trust showed the trail would generate close to $4 millon a year in regional income, based on tourists spending 3.5 nights at $94 a day in the region.

The presentation was received by the council. The trust would now conduct a feasibility study to help reduce construction costs.

Marlborough Mayor John Leggett said the trust had come a long way since its establishment, and developed into a professional organisation.

"This is another really good opportunity for us to look at the various trusts around Marlborough that do such good work," Leggett said.