Mangere Bridge traffic diverted

Workers were given the go-ahead to close Mangere Bridge to all northbound traffic around midnight last night after an assurance that rain forecast for early tomorrow would arrive too late to upset heavy welding.

Transit NZ is keeping the bridge open to southbound traffic, but warns of delays as vehicles are diverted to northbound lanes while two 10-tonne expanding joints are welded into place.

Northbound traffic will have to use detours to the Southern Motorway or around Manukau Harbour until the work is finished by about 11am tomorrow.