Motorists going away for the Waitangi Day long weekend are being urged to plan ahead to avoid busy travel times on the country’s state highways.
The Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency says drivers leaving Auckland on Friday afternoon or Saturday morning, and returning on Sunday or Monday, are likely to face heavy traffic volumes.
“Congestion and delays are inevitable at peak times, so people may like to consider avoiding travel during these periods to make their journey safer and more enjoyable,” Waka Kotahi Auckland operations manager Rua Pani says.
“Because predicted peak times can change based on incidents, weather or even driver behaviour, motorists should also check our journey planner just before they head off, which provides traffic information and updates on delays, road works and road closures in real time.”
Traffic heading north from Auckland on Friday will be busiest between Puhoi and Wellsford from midday to 8pm. It’s also busy Saturday between 8.30am and 3pm.
SH1 is the busy main route north from Auckland, but motorists should consider taking SH16 as an alternative route as far as Wellsford.
Electronic signs on SH1 will display estimated travel times via SH1 and SH16 to give motorists a choice.
Heading back to Auckland, motorists can expect heavy traffic from 10.45am through until 5.30pm on Sunday and from 9am to 8pm on Monday.
The journey planner also shows busy traffic predictions on SH1 through Whangarei and Kawakawa.
For motorists heading south or to the Coromandel, the Southern Motorway (SH1) from Manukau to Bombay is busiest on Friday from 9.30am to 7pm and on Saturday between 7am and 1.30pm.
Returning on Monday, the motorway is busiest from 1.30pm to 6.15pm.
“If you can plan your travel outside of these times you’ll be giving yourself a much less stressful weekend and help ease congestion levels for everyone else,” Pani says.
“We know congestion and delays can be frustrating, but the most important thing is that everyone gets to their destination safely. Please plan ahead, be patient and drive to the conditions.
“Trying to ‘make up lost time’ by speeding and unsafe overtaking puts everyone on the road at risk.
“Even when it isn’t the direct cause of a crash, speed is often the difference between someone walking away unharmed or being seriously injured or killed. For everyone’s safety, please slow down.”
Check Waka Kotahi’s journey planner online at www.journeys.nzta.govt.nz.
