Traffic was so bad across Auckland, commuters faced a nightmare journey home this evening with scores of bus routes across the city facing delays of up to an hour.
Those heading away on the region’s major highway north also faced an hour-long gridlock before Puhoi, with vehicles down to one lane and the road controlled by a stop/go roadworker.
NZTA Waka Kotahi warned motorists travelling from Auckland to Northland to take an alternate route around the western coastline through Wellsford to avoid the roadworks and queues.
This evening Auckland Transport warned Easter Weekend traffic and wet weather had led to heavy congestion across Auckland.
This had left many buses facing delays of between 15 to 60 minutes on multiple routes all over the city.
As streets were left clogged and with buses running well behind schedule, Uber surge pricing saw the cost of rides soar. In some cases, it was three times higher than normal.
Commuters wanting to pick up a ride from the central business district and travel to the western suburb of Titirangi faced a bill of around $120. The same trip would normally cost $35.
Traffic continued to be channelled down to one lane with the motorway just after the Johnstones Hill Tunnel heading north managed with stop /go signs.
A motorist who travelled through the troublespot earlier this morning described the situation as “beyond insane” and predicted it would be disastrous for those heading away later in the day.
And by mid-afternoon traffic was crawling on both the Southern and Southwestern Motorways from central Auckland, with significant delays through to Drury.
The estimated travelling time from Auckland Harbour Bridge to Drury on the motorway was one hour and 45 minutes just after 3pm.
SH1 HOLIDAY TRAFFIC - NORTHBOUND - 12:25PM
— Waka Kotahi NZTA Auckland & Northland (@WakaKotahiAkNth) April 6, 2023
Allow extra time for journeys north on #SH1 via Puhoi, where a temporary northbound lane layout is in place as work continues on the future new motorway section. Consider using SH16 as an alternative for travel north of Wellsford. ^TP pic.twitter.com/0UQgp3vz3U
Auckland Transport also warned that heavy congestion on the highway saw delays of up to an hour heading north.
It says those using the Hibiscus Coast bus route to Warkworth can expect cancellations and delays in both directions.
According to the NZTA website at 2pm there were 59-minute delays through the area with the northbound queue starting before the Hillcrest Bridge.
For those stuck on the State Highway 1 travelling through Puhoi the road agency says work is continuing on the future new motorway section. A temporary northbound lane layout is in place and motorists should allow extra time to pass through the area.
NZTA says holidaymakers should consider using State Highway 16.
Holidaymaker Naomi Rhodes said there was already a bottleneck at the Puhoi section earlier this morning. She said the hold-up appeared to be down to using stop/go management.
“You get off after the tunnels and there’s a stop/go crew for every single bit of traffic going north,” said Rhodes.
“Because of the motorway work that they’re doing anyone who needs to get out of Puhoi, they have to stop all the traffic going north for them.
“The entire traffic network is going to be a disaster up there today,” she said.
“To have stop/gos for the entire Northern Motorway seems beyond insane.”
Due to heavy congestion on SH1, the 995 is seeing delays of up to an hour when heading North.
— Auckland Transport Travel Alerts (@AT_TravelAlerts) April 6, 2023
Expect possible delays heading South and cancellations in both directions.
Due to a system limitation, Live Departures and the electronic signs may not show buses with large delays. pic.twitter.com/LnI11CeBwW
Earlier this afternoon a truck crash on the Waikato Expressway blocked a southbound lane between Rangiriri and Whangamarino Rd overbridge for two hours causing delays.
It comes as roads, airports and Cook Strait ferries are set to be inundated as holidaymakers head off for the Easter long weekend, despite unfavourable weather forecasts.
Motorists on Auckland’s Northwestern Motorway are being advised to avoid using the Harbour Bridge to head north, and instead take the alternative state highway through Helensville due to congestion.
Earlier Waka Kotahi NZTA reminded motorists that changes to the road layout near Puhoi would cause delays and the Johnstones Hill tunnels could get bottlenecked.
Meanwhile, more than 200,000 people will fly with Air New Zealand across 50 destinations domestically and internationally over Easter.
Today will be the busiest dayfor the airline with 50,000 people scheduled to fly.
Auckland Airport reported that more than 800,000 people will fly across the school holidays with Easter and Anzac.
On the Cook Strait, Interislander has increased the number of Aratere and Kaiarahi ferry sailings over the long weekend to make up for the Kaitaki ship still being out of service.
More than 8000 people were booked to sail on Kaitaki this weekend and Interislander executive general manager Walter Rushbrook said 90 per cent of these passengers had been advised they’d be able to cross the Cook Strait as planned.
Kaitaki sailings have been canned for more than a month because of a dodgy gearbox. The company said it would not sail until at least next Wednesday.
“Easter is an important holiday break for New Zealanders and many rely on our services to cross the strait,” Rushbrook said.
“Our people have been working around the clock to manage existing bookings and arranging additional ferry sailings to accommodate customers who have bookings with us,” he said.
Bluebridge’s Strait Feronia ferry also experienced engineering troubles this week and was out of action, leaving passengers with refunds but no way to rebook.
NZTA is advising holidaymakers to plan out their journeys and to check traffic flow prediction forecasts, especially those travelling north.
SH1 BRYNDERWYN HILLS - 31 MAR
— Waka Kotahi NZTA Auckland & Northland (@WakaKotahiAkNth) March 30, 2023
SH1 is open between Waipu and the Brynderwyns (light and heavy vehicles). Be aware of temporary speed limits ranging from 50km/h - 80km/h in this area. Follow the posted signage and expect delays.
Highway Conditions Map: https://t.co/VMcHXSLBao ^MS pic.twitter.com/Iq31SRnuJV
Hard-hit Coromandel, where a main state highway is closed, is expected to be busy northbound on Thursday between midday and 8pm. Friday is no better with the roads in and out of the peninsula expected to be busy from 9am.
Motorists are advised to avoid travelling along SH26 between Opoutere and Hikuai between 9.30am and 2.30pm each day as it is under stop/go traffic management and could close at times.
The worst times to travel north of Auckland will be today and tomorrow afternoon for northbound motorists, while Monday afternoon will be bad as people make their way back home.
The heaviest traffic south of the city will be this afternoon and tomorrow during the middle of the day. There will be long queues again on Monday afternoon heading towards the city.
In Northland, SH1 at Brynderwyn Hills has reopened to ensure detour roads are not affected by high volumes of traffic over Easter. The road suffered significant damage from Cyclone Gabrielle and was closed until March 31. It will close again on April 17.
In Waikato, SH1 between Karapiro and Tirau will be busy southbound late this afternoon and most of tomorrow. Traffic will then pick up again on Sunday afternoon and most of the day Monday.
To help plan your Easter holiday journey, check out our predictive traffic flow forecasts (across popular holiday routes, based on previous years travel patterns) on our Highways Traffic Map here: https://t.co/Tso1uUlgYC (look for white icons with 2 blue cars). ^TP pic.twitter.com/e2Ltv0zcQw
— Waka Kotahi NZTA Auckland & Northland (@WakaKotahiAkNth) April 4, 2023
In the capital, northbound traffic will be heavy on SH1 at Kapiti Coast between Peka Peka and Otaki on Thursday afternoon and from 11am on Friday. Southbound traffic will be heavy on Monday afternoon.
Traffic will also be heavy on SH2 on the Remutaka Hill between Wellington and Featherston around midday on Friday, Saturday and Sunday for northbound traffic and in the afternoons on Sunday and Monday for southbound traffic.
On SH1, between Christchurch and Ashburton, traffic will be at its heaviest for those travelling south on Thursday afternoon and Friday morning. Northbound traffic will pick up on Monday from around midday.
Unfortunately, heavy rain and thunderstorms are set to dampen the holiday weekend as a jetstream-powered rainmaker spins towards New Zealand today.
Latest update to watches and warnings. Stay up to date with the latest information as there is some uncertainty with this system. pic.twitter.com/oiizvnYmMd
— MetService (@MetService) April 5, 2023
MetService has forecast gales and downpours for Northland, northern parts of Auckland, Coromandel and Waikato from Friday through Saturday, with a risk of thunderstorms.
And it was set to remain intermittently miserable for much of the country throughout the school holidays.
MetService meteorologist Dan Corrigan warned holidaymakers to follow forecasts closely as current predictions about the subtropical low’s movements were uncertain.
Northland: Expect rain today, which could be heavy from afternoon.
— MetService (@MetService) April 5, 2023
Pretty uncertain the next couple days. All models have heavy rain in the area but only a few have it over land.
If it stays over the sea, no worries, but if it ends up on land there may be significant impacts. pic.twitter.com/BeSm5w2GJ0
“We do know to a reasonable degree places are likely to see some severe weather. The low-pressure system is evolving as it gets closer to us. It’s good to keep an eye on it because the forecast is likely to change as we hone in on it.
“When we get a large amount of rain in a small amount of time, that can put a lot of stress on the land. We [could] see slips that can cause road closures,” Corrigan said.
Rivers could swell after rain fell in higher areas, and driving could become dangerous with risks of surface flooding.