Traffic is expected to be slow both sides of Auckland. PHOTO/Jason Oxenham.
Give yourself lots of extra time if you're planning on heading south from Auckland today.
The New Zealand Transport Authority is predicting extremely heavy traffic on the Southern Motorway from 10am to 8pm through Manukau and Takanini.
If you're heading up north, SH1 from Puhoi to Wellsford is expected to be at its busiest from 3pm to 6pm today.
Yesterday traffic crawled along the Southern Motorway with holidaymakers eager to get out of the city for Christmas.
This added to recent airport chaos that has plagued travellers with long queues of traffic and waiting times.
Heading south today? Southern Mwy thru Manukau/Takanini expected to be VERY HEAVY 10am-8pm. #HolidayHotspots: https://t.co/nQiU2yy0QG ^TP pic.twitter.com/dmeTNjNT3u
— Waka Kotahi NZTA Auckland & Northland (@WakaKotahiAkNth) December 23, 2016
Motorists were urged to allow extra time to get to the airport and an additional 30 minutes to navigate through the terminal.
Drivers should also consider using Puhinui Rd, SH20B, to avoid the delays.
Two weeks ago, passengers missed flights and up to a dozen Air New Zealand services were delayed after crew were caught in gridlock around Auckland Airport.
Air New Zealand is rostering more staff on to help passengers through terminals over Christmas and is communicating with those it can reach to advise them to expect congestion.
Heading up north tomorrow? #SH1 from Puhoi to Wellsford expected to be heaviest 3pm-6pm. #HolidayHotspots: https://t.co/nQiU2yy0QG ^TP pic.twitter.com/joDXXaCLCp
— Waka Kotahi NZTA Auckland & Northland (@WakaKotahiAkNth) December 23, 2016
State Highway 1 between Puhoi and Wellsford is one of the busiest points on the network. Congestion starts to build northbound from about 9am, through to the middle of the day from Christmas Day to New Year's Eve. Southbound traffic is heaviest from 10am through to mid-evening from January 1 to January 4.
Warkworth's Hill St intersection in particular can get very congested because of the higher volumes of traffic.
"To ensure these are managed as smoothly as possible traffic cameras at the intersection will be monitored at the Auckland Transport Operations Centre. The light sequencing will also continue to be adjusted to allow more traffic to pass through the intersection depending on which direction the heaviest traffic flows are coming from."
SH1 south of Bay of Islands is heaviest southbound on January 1 and 2.
SH1 Whangarei southbound the flows will be at their busiest from 7am on Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve. Northbound the peak times will be around the middle of today.
State Highway 1 at Takanini south of Auckland is particularly busy southbound from about 10am until 2.30pm from now until December 28. Northbound, lunchtime to 4pm on Tuesday 3 and Wednesday January 4 will be the heaviest.
At the SH2 Maramarua Interchange with SH1 you're most likely to face delays eastbound today from about 3pm, again on December 26 through to December 30 through the middle of the day, and again on 2nd January. Westbound it's busiest in the afternoon from January 1 to January 4.
In the Bay of Plenty and Waikato, State Highway 2 through Maramarua is one of the busiest points on the network over Christmas and New Year. Congestion starts to build eastbound from about 10am today and is at its heaviest from 3pm to 7pm.
It remains busy from Boxing Day and gets a bit quieter on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day. Westbound traffic is heaviest from 11am through to mid-evening from January 1 to 4.
Northbound traffic on State Highway 1 Taupiri, north of Hamilton, is busy now but will quietens down tomorrow, Boxing Day and December 29. Southbound is heaviest from mid-morning until around mid-afternoon until Tuesday January 3, apart from a short quiet period on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day.
State Highway 1 through Karapiro, south of Cambridge is busiest for eastbound traffic around Christmas Day, Boxing Day and around midday on Tuesday December 27. You'll also notice an increase in traffic if you're heading southbound later in the afternoon from Tuesday December 27 until Tuesday January 3.
State Highway 2 between Paeroa and Tauranga is busy with eastbound traffic from late morning Boxing Day until late afternoon. It stays busy until New Year's Eve but leaving early in the morning should avoid the busiest time. Westbound traffic is heaviest between 11am and 3pm on Tuesday December 27. Motorists take a short break on Wednesday December 28 but then things pick up again until January 4.
Travelling on State Highway 29 west of Tauranga eastbound you're most likely to face delays todayt from about 3pm, again on Christmas Day, through to Tuesday December 27, mainly through the middle of the day, and again on January 2. Westbound is busiest on Christmas Day morning and the middle of the day on January 2 and 3.
State Highway 30 and State Highway 33 intersection at Tikitere, State Highway 5 and State Highway 36 intersection at Ngongotaha and State Highway 2 Katikati.
To minimise delays, most major roadworks are paused through the holiday period and won't resume until January 9.
On SH3, the slip that has previously reduced SH3 to one lane south of Mokau has been re-opened to two lanes for the Christmas holiday period. A 50km/h speed limit will remain in place through the worksite.