The Manawatu Riverside pathway at Dittmer Drive could soon be linked by bridge to a companion path on the opposite bank.

The plans are drawn and a start on construction is just weeks away for the first stage of Palmerston North's shared pathway from the Fitzherbert Bridge to Linton.

The first stage of the $10m project will follow the left bank of the Manawatu River from the bridge to where the Turitea Stream runs into the river near Waitoetoe Park.

It will be called He Ara Kotahi, a pathway that brings people together.

Project steering group chairman Ray Swadel from the city council said the plan was to award a tender for the first stage of construction by the end of February, and begin work in March or April.

Meantime, the location of a cycle and pedestrian bridge across the river was being investigated.

The link would be built somewhere between the Palmerston North Holiday Park and Maxwells Line.

Opus International Consultants has been engaged to assess the possible sites.

"They'll be talking to the community to help determine the best crossing for the bridge and preparing resource consents once the location is determined," Swadel said.

He Ara Kotahi will eventually provide a 6.6km pathway for cyclists and pedestrians linking the city, Massey University and Linton Military Camp.

A separate path will branch off close to the city end of the new track to take pedestrians and cyclists to the Crown Research Institutes, Food HQ and Massey.

The council has worked with Massey, Rangitane, Horizons Regional Council, the New Zealand Army and the New Zealand Transport Agency to plan the project.

Several deputations from the military base have made submissions to city council annual plan hearings in recent years urging progress on the pathway to provide a safer route for soldiers commuting between the city and base, and for Linton families travelling to activities in the city.

"The development is due to key institutions in the city, regionally and nationally, working together for the good of local residents and visitors," said Swadel.

Money for the development is coming from the Government's Urban Cycleways Programme, which is contributing $3m, with another $3.2m from the National Land Transport Fund.

Powerco also offered to contribute up to $500,000 toward the bridge in exchange for rights to attach its services to the new bridge to better ensure supplies to the city.

Residents will start seeing some action on the left bank soon.

The council, Horizons and iwi would be doing some riparian planting along the river bank, and Massey would be removing some of the exotic pine trees.

Soldiers from Linton Military Camp were preparing to do some site work where the Turitea Stream meets the Manawatu River.

Swadel said as well as choosing a location for the bridge, the project team had yet to finalise the route from the Turitea Stream to the army camp, which would generally follow the Manawatu River and Kahuterawa Stream to Bells Rd near Linton.

Transport Agency central regional director Raewyn Bleakley said it was fantastic to see such good progress being made on the city's cycleway network.

The development was essential to help make cycling a more attractive and safer travel choice, she said.

"Good quality cycleways are critical to the development of a network that will give more people safe options to cycle to work, school or recreational activities," she said.