Wellington and Christchurch motorists are also having a mostly smooth experience as traffic is yet to build on the exits out of town.
Auckland Airport is bracing for some of its busiest days as school holiday travellers mix with fans heading across the Tasman for the upcoming Warriors’ clash.
Some 15,000 travellers are expected through the airport’s terminals tomorrow due to a surge of people flying to international destinations, while domestic travel is set to be greatest out of Auckland today.
Waka Kotahi has urged motorists to plan ahead and allow extra time for their journeys heading into the first week of the holidays.
That is especially the case in the South Island where flooding from record downpours has disrupted travel by road.
A state of emergency is now in force across Southland and the Queenstown Lakes district.
Roads across Queenstown and the surrounding district are closed and more than 100 people have been evacuated from flooded areas in the town.
A major mop-up operation is now underway in Queenstown and other southern towns after wild weather brought landslides and heavy flooding, threatening homes.
Queenstown Aiport said this morning it remained open and had not experienced flooding, but because of the state of emergency, it advised passengers to travel only if it was safe to do so.
The stretch of State Highway 1 from Mataura to Gore remains closed by flooding.
Alpine passes across the South Island are also under snow warnings and watches, and MetService advises heavy snow may disrupt travel in affected areas.
Waka Kotahi regional relationships director Steve Mutton said there was likely to be more traffic than usual on the roads this weekend so drivers should expect journey times to be longer and for there to be congestion at the usual locations – SH1 northbound between Puhoi and Wellsford and SH1 southbound between Manukau and Bombay.
“More cars on the road, tired drivers and people driving on unfamiliar roads can make holiday driving stressful and risky,” Mutton said.
“Checking your car is safe before your journey, keeping your speed down, driving sober, watching for the signs of fatigue and sharing the driving are just some of the things you can do to ensure you arrive safely at your destination.”
He said people should check current road and traffic conditions before leaving on their journey.
Auckland Airport chief customer officer Scott Tasker said the three busiest days for international departures during the upcoming holidays were expected to be today and tomorrow, while the busiest for international arrivals were likely to be next Sunday and the final weekend of the school holidays.
Domestically, the busiest departure days are expected to be next Friday, September 29; Thursday, October 5; and Friday, October 6. The busiest arrival days are tipped for today and the next two Fridays – September 22 and 29 and October 6.
“These school holidays are going to be busy with lots of people heading away, and now even more so with the Warriors in the NRL preliminary final in Brisbane. We ask that travellers come prepared and allow plenty of time,” Tasker said.
Queenstown mayor Glyn Lewers made a state of emergency declaration at 6.33am today. It will initially last for seven days. It follows a state of emergency being declared across Southland yesterday as the region was battered by severe weather.
Some Queenstown residents had to evacuate last night and other residents had to be rescued from their cars.
Prime Minister Chris Hipkins said it had been a tough night for many in the lower South Island and he encouraged people to follow the guidance of their local emergency management teams.
