Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency will be hitting the ‘pause’ button for daytime roadworks on some of the country’s busiest highways in an effort to ease congestion and delays for drivers when New Zealand moves in to Alert Level 2 tomorrow.
With a significant increase in travel expected, Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency General Manager Transport Services Brett Gliddon says most planned daytime maintenance work and potentially disruptive construction work on the state highway network in major centres will be paused on Thursday and Friday this week and next Monday (18 May) in order to ease congestion for those who need to drive.
“We know that travel is likely to spike when we move to Level 2 on Thursday as more people resume their daily trips, and there will be some unavoidable congestion and delays. We’re hitting ‘pause’ on roadworks on our busiest highways for the first few days of Level 2 to avoid making those delays worse.
“Please plan your journeys in advance and allow plenty of time. If you can, stagger your journey to avoid travelling during peak times. Walking or cycling is a great option for some trips.”
Mr Gliddon says Waka Kotahi will closely monitor traffic flows around the country, and the pause on daytime work may be extended if needed.
It’s important to travel safely at all Alert Levels. In preparation for moving to Alert Level 2, and an expected increase in travel across the country, Waka Kotahi is encouraging everyone to play it safe and plan ahead.
Traffic volumes on state highways in New Zealand cities during Alert Level 3 have been 30% to 60% lower than usual, and a significant increase in travel is expected with the move in to Level 2.
Weekly traffic count information
Roadworks and projects information
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