Don your gummies and sunhats for a (hopefully) summery Fieldays this year - and take the heat out of your journey by planning your travel too.
More than 100 thousand people are expected at the region’s annual agricultural trade show, which means congestion on Waikato roads.
“Plan ahead to avoid the pinch points where possible, allow extra time or take the bus to help you arrive at the event ready to soak up all that agricultural innovation,” says Cara Lauder, Waikato System Manager for Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency.
“We always experience a significant increase in traffic volumes on State Highway 1 (SH1) and State Highway 3 (SH3) during Fieldays week as people head into Mystery Creek off State Highway 21 Airport Road,” Ms Lauder says.
While there will be a roadworks moratorium in place in parts of the Waikato, there will still be a number of worksites underway during Fieldays.
“A pinch point will be the remedial and safety works on State Highway 1 at Ngāruawāhia where traffic is reduced to one lane northbound and southbound. Expect delays here or consider an alternative route,” says Ms Lauder.
If you are travelling from locations north of Hamilton, keep an eye out for electronic signs advising the best route to Fieldays or alerting motorists if there are queues around the southern end of the Cambridge section of the Waikato Expressway.
Work to improve access and safety under the Tamahere Interchange will be taking a break for a week during the Fieldays to ensure smoother travel through the area.
“Make sure the only place you collide with a townie is sharing a laugh at the Fieldays tractor pull,” says Ms Lauder, “not in a traffic jam.”
While there is parking at Fieldays (and a helicopter landing zone if that is your preferred mode of transport) we suggest you beat the congestion and take the bus.
It’s free to catch any Hamilton city or regional bus from seven participating stations to the Hamilton Transport Centre then straight to Fieldays. Regional buses include Raglan, Cambridge, Te Awamutu, Paeroa, Te Aroha, Morrinsville and Huntly.
Visit busit.co.nz(external link) or phone 0800 205 305 for more information and regional bus timetables.
Or why not Park and Ride? Park at The Base Hamilton or the BMX Club on Milton Street, Cambridge or iSite Te Awamutu, and catch a bus directly to Mystery Creek. Buses will be leaving approximately every 30 minutes from 7am.
“If you’re going to drive, the Waka Kotahi Journey Planner is the best tool to use on the day of travel, as this provides real-time updates on the network,” says Ms Lauder.
Journey Planner(external link)
Fieldays runs from Wednesday 30 November until Saturday 3 December. Waka Kotahi wishes everyone a safe and enjoyable event.
