Busy two days will impact on travel across Auckland's motorways

Drivers using motorways in Auckland are advised by the NZ Transport Agency that a busy programme of works during the next two days will have an impact on their travel across the network.

The works include:-

• The closure tonight of the Southern Motorway (State Highway 1) near the Newmarket Viaduct so that a new footbridge can be lifted into place
• The re-opening tonight of the Wellington Street on-ramp in central Auckland near the entrance to the Victoria Park Tunnel
• A new and improved northbound on-ramp at the Papakura interchange on the Southern Motorway is opening overnight – several weeks ahead of schedule
• The closure on Monday night of a section of SH20A (George Bolt Memorial Drive) which will affect drivers heading to Auckland’s International Airport
• The resumption of work on Monday night on the Jacobs Ladder Footbridge over the SH1 motorway near the Victoria Park Tunnel in St Marys Bay.

“It’s a busy couple of days for us, and drivers need to be aware that our works are significant and care will be needed as they travel across Auckland,” says the NZTA’s acting State Highways Manager for Auckland and Northland, Steve Mutton. “Our most importance advice to drivers is to be patient as they get used to the changes, and to plan their travel to reduce the risk of delay.”

The closure of Southern Motorway lanes near the Newmarket Viaduct starts at eight o’clock tonight so that a new Dilworth footbridge can be lifted by crane into place across the motorway south of the viaduct. Motorway traffic is being diverted between Greenlane and Gillies Avenue.

The Wellington Street on-ramp will provide additional motorway access for central Auckland traffic heading north to the Auckland Harbour Bridge and beyond.

Mr Mutton says care will be needed by drivers using both the on-ramp and the motorway as they merge near the entrance to the Victoria Park Tunnel.

”If you’ve already found a route that works best for you, stick with it. There could be queues and delays, especially during the afternoon peak. We will be operating the ramp signals at Wellington Street for 12 hours to help drivers get used to the change,” he says.

At Papakura, the new northbound on-ramp will provide safer access for drivers from Karaka and Hingaia, who will no longer need to turn right in front of on-coming traffic to join the motorway.

Drivers using SH20A to get to Auckland International Airport should allow another 10 minutes for their travel because maintenance work starting tomorrow night (Monday, 8 October) will close the highway, the main motorway access between the airport and Auckland’s cbd. The work continues for three nights and there are detours.

Work to prepare the site for the re-start of construction on the Jacobs Ladder Footbridge has now been moved from tonight to tomorrow night. This is to minimise disruption to motorists and enable the earliest completion of other activity within the area.