The NZ Transport Agency says a fault in a paving machine being used to re-lay the surface of a section of Auckland's Southern Motorway (State Highway 1) was responsible for heavy congestion and delays during this morning's peak.
“The NZTA regrets the hold-ups and apologises for any inconvenience the congestion may have caused and appreciates the patience shown by drivers,” says the NZTA’s acting State Highways Manager for Auckland and Northland, Steve Mutton.
The paving machine was working overnight on three of the four southbound lanes of the motorway between Symonds Street and Khyber Pass Road in central Auckland when it broke down. A second machine was bought in to complete the work, but the delay meant that all the southbound lanes were re-opened later than originally planned.
“Unless there’s an emergency, our maintenance work to keep the city’s motorway network safe for all drivers is carried out at night and it is unfortunate this breakdown prevented us from finishing our work on time before the morning peak,” Mr Mutton says.
The breakdown caused delays along the motorway network and on surrounding arterial roads.
