Auckland’s ironman Sunday will impact on drivers

The NZ Transport Agency advises drivers to plan their travel in Auckland this Sunday (19 January) because sections of the city’s state highway network, including some lanes on the Auckland Harbour Bridge, will be 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 Transport Agency’s National Journey Manager, Kathryn Musgrave, says the event’s 1200 competitors will have an impact on traffic.    
“We are committed to helping provide a safe course for athletes and spectators and, at the same time, ensuring that there is minimum disruption to drivers,” says Mrs Musgrave.  “Six lanes of the harbour bridge will remain open and the ironman is being run at a time when Sunday morning traffic volumes are light.  Nevertheless, there could be some delays as traffic builds up during the day.”  
The following sections of the state highway network are affected by the Ironman 70.3 Auckland event:-

• SH1 (Northern Motorway) southbound from Esmonde Road to the 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 5am until approximately 11am – delays are likely from 9am.
• SH18 (Upper Harbour Highway) and Constellation Drive between Caribbean Drive and East Coast Road.  Closed from 5.30am until approximately 10am.  Signed detours will be in place – delays are likely from 9am. 
• SH16 (The Strand) between Gladstone Road and Tamaki Drive will be closed from 5.30am until approximately 6pm. Signed detours will be in place – delays are likely from 10am.

The Northern Busway south of Constellation Drive will also be closed from 5am until approximately 11am.  Details of bus services on the day are available here(external link).

“People will have to drive safely and with care and attention – they will be sharing parts of our network with hundreds of athletes, “ says Mrs Musgrave. “We have worked with organisers to keep disruption to a minimum. However, drivers should be patient and allow a little more time for their journeys, and to help ensure that Auckland stages a successful international ironman event.” 

For more Transport Agency information, visit Facebook www.facebook.com/nztaakl(external link) and follow us on twitter at www.twitter.com/nztaakl(external link) For traffic updates visit www.onthemove.govt.nz(external link)

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