Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency has closed all lanes on the Auckland Harbour Bridge this morning as a result of strong wind gusts.
Significant wind gusts of more than 80km/h have been recorded on the bridge and a decision has been made to close all lanes on the harbour bridge to look after the safety of drivers and the bridge whilst the structure is still damaged and in a compromised state.
The full bridge closure will remain in place until further notice. The bridge team is working closely with MetService to get advice on when it is safe to re-open the lanes.
Waka Kotahi acknowledges closing lanes on the bridge will cause major disruption and inconvenience, however safety is our top priority and the lanes closures will be lifted as soon as it is safe to do so.
Congestion is heavy and people are urged to work from home where possible and avoid unnecessary travel as congestion will be heavy as a result of the closure. Check your route before you travel and use the Western Ring Route via SH16 and SH18 as an alternative to SH1 and the bridge.
Ongoing strong wind gusts have been a concern since the weekend and the bridge team has been continually measuring wind levels to assess whether the bridge has to close.
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