Auckland’s Ironman event will impact traffic this Sunday

Auckland motorists need to plan their journey this Sunday (18 January) with sections of the city’s state highway network and lanes on the Auckland Harbour Bridge being used for an international triathlon event.

State Highways 1 (Northern Motorway and the harbour bridge), 16 and 18 (Upper Harbour Highway) are part of the course for Ironman 70.3 Auckland, and the NZ Transport Agency’s National Journey Manager Kathryn Musgrave says the event’s 1000 competitors will have an impact on traffic.

“We want to ensure this is a safe course for competitors and spectators, while at the same time ensuring there is a minimum of disruption to drivers,” she says.

“Six lanes of the harbour bridge will remain open, the ironman being held at a time when Sunday morning traffic volumes are light. However, there is likely to still be some queues and delays, particularly southbound on the Harbour Bridge as traffic builds up throughout the morning.”

The following sections of the state highway network will be affected by the Ironman 70.3 Auckland event:

• SH1 (Northern Motorway) southbound from Esmonde Road to Shelly Beach Road off-ramp, including the two lanes on the southbound extension (clip-on) of the Auckland Harbour Bridge and the Onewa Road on-ramp southbound. Closed from 4.30am to about 11am – delays are likely from 9am.
• SH18 (Upper Harbour Highway) and Constellation Drive between Caribbean Drive and East Coast Road. Closed from 6am to about 11am. Signed detours will be in place - delays are likely from 9am.
• SH16 (The Strand) between Gladstone Road and Tamaki Drive will be closed from 6.30am to about 12.30pm. Signed detours will be in place – delays are likely from 10am.

The Northern Busway south of Constellation Drive will also be closed from 4am until about 11.30am. Details of bus services on the day are available at http://at.govt.nz/bus-train-ferry/(external link)

“Motorists will need to drive with extra care and attention as they will be sharing parts of the highways with hundreds of athletes,” Mrs Musgrave says.

“We have worked with organisers to keep disruption to a minimum. However, motorists should be patient and allow a little more time for their journeys, which will help ensure that Auckland stages a successful international ironman event.”

For more transport information, visit Facebook www.facebook.com/nztaakl(external link) and follow us on twitter as www.twitter.com/nztaakl(external link) or check out www.onthemove.govt.nz(external link) for traffic updates.

Information about Ironman 70.3 Auckland is available at www.ironmanauckland.com(external link)

For more information please contact:

Jan McCarthy
Media Manager - Christchurch

T: 03 964 2885
M: 021 427 442
E: jan.mccarthy@nzta.govt.nz