NZTA closes passing lanes to help holiday traffic flow

By RNZ

NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi has crunched the data to find holiday congestion hotspots in Waikato and the Bay of Plenty – but people might be surprised at the way it is responding to help.

In the Waikato, the busiest spots are expected to be on State Highway 25 around Tairua township, on SH1 between Tairua and Karāpiro and on SH2 between Pōkeno and Matamata.

In the Bay of Plenty, the busiest spots are likely to be on SH2 between Paeroa and Waihī, on SH2 between Tauranga and Katikati and on SH29 on the Kaimai range.

To help traffic flows, NZTA Waikato journey manager Andrew Brosnan said, the agency would be closing some passing lanes.

“Queues might be a little longer when the passing lanes are closed, but there will be minimal impact on your journey time. A slightly slower speed doesn’t make for a longer journey, overall, as traffic moves more steadily,” said Brosnan.

The Transport Agency says traffic moves more "steadily" with fewer lanes. Photo / John Borren

As an example, the passing lanes on SH2 between Pōkeno and the SH25 Mangatarata roundabout will be closed during peak times. The eastbound passing lane is closed from Friday, December 27 to Sunday, December 29 between 4am and 11pm. Westbound, the lane is closed from Friday, January 3 to Sunday, January 5 between 4am and 11pm. 

Brosnan said this approach has been taken by NZTA in previous years.

Another way NZTA will respond to expected congestion is to reduce speed limits in some locations, such as on SH2 through the Karangahake Gorge, the main highway connection between Auckland and the holiday hotspots of Coromandel Peninsula, Waihī Beach and Tauranga.

NZTA said the 600m section between Crown Hill Rd and School Rd has had its speed reduced temporarily from 80km/h to 50km/h and it will remain at 50km/h until after Waitangi weekend in February. This section of the highway includes the entrance to the Karangahake Reserve, which is the starting point for many of the popular walks in the historic gorge.

NZTA has also produced an online tool to compile a list of likely holiday congestion hotspots to help travellers plan their trips.

Before travelling, people can check the most likely times and days the route will be busy and prepare for the traffic or decide to travel at a different time.

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