Bridge work among projects set to delay holiday traffic

Both northbound clip-on lanes on the Auckland Harbour Bridge are to close from 7am today until Thursday, January 8. Photo / Daniel Hines

Motorists heading home or away today are being told to expect delays with several roadworks under way.

Both northbound clip-on lanes on the Auckland Harbour Bridge are to close from 7am today until Thursday, January 8 for resealing, as is the Curran St onramp to the bridge and the Stafford Rd motorway exit to Northcote Pt.

Although that will still leave three lanes running over the bridge in each direction, Transport Agency highways manager Brett Gliddon is warning motorists of possible delays.

Mr Gliddon is confident plenty of advance notice on motorway message signs will help to minimise disruption.

But he acknowledges Boxing Day is one of the busiest times of year for highway traffic, with the heaviest flows north from Auckland expected from 10am to 2pm.

SH1 heading south over the Bombay Hills is expected to be busiest from 11am to 1pm.

Mr Gliddon said the bridge resurfacing was part of the agency's annual maintenance.

The agency also warns of major delays through the Northwestern Motorway's Te Atatu interchange from early tomorrow until 5pm on New Year's Eve, and again for three days from January 2.

Although there are no planned roadworks on highways outside Auckland until Monday, January 5, there will be speed restrictions at about 10 sites on State Highways 1, 12, and 14 in Northland where there have been slips or there are uneven surfaces.

In Auckland, there will be road closures at 12 rail level-crossings for upgrading.

Each will be for about three days, starting today through the Manuroa Rd and Taka St crossings in Papakura.

Buses replace trains on the southern and eastern lines until January 5, and on the western line until January 12.

Traffic stoppers

• Auckland Harbour Bridge: two northbound lanes closed for re-surfacing from 7am today to 5.30am on January 8.

• Northwestern Motorway through the Te Atatu Interchange: closed from 10pm to 4am each night from tomorrow until Wednesday morning, and from Friday, January 2, until Monday, January 5. Traffic restricted to one lane in each direction on motorway and Te Atatu Rd bridge over interchange at all other times on those dates. Restrictions to be lifted at 5pm on New Year's Eve until 4am on January 2.

• Speed restrictions on various flood-damaged Northland roads.

• Roads through 12 Auckland rail level crossings to be closed for about three days on various dates between today and January 9.