This year ANZAC Day falls within the school holiday period, which means it’s likely to be extra busy on our roads.

Motorists travelling in Northland and Auckland are urged to plan ahead and follow the basics of road safety so everyone arrives at their destination safely.

Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency has updated its popular online holiday journeys traffic prediction tool to help people plan ahead and avoid delays. The tool predicts traffic flow based on previous years’ travel patterns.

Holiday journeys traffic prediction tool

“Some congestion and delays are inevitable during holiday periods, but with school holidays in full swing this year, including people visiting Aotearoa from across the ditch, we want to remind everyone to leave plenty of time for their journey, drive to the conditions and plan ahead before leaving home,’’ says Waka Kotahi Auckland Operations Manager Rua Pani.

In order to minimise delays over the ANZAC Day holiday weekend all roadworks on State Highways in Northland, apart from weather-related and emergency works, will be on hold over Saturday, Sunday and Monday.

However, for safety reasons, temporary speed limits will remain in place around several work sites on SH1 between Auckland and Whangārei, including through the Dome Valley, on Matakana Link Road and at Loop Road. Traffic Management will also be in place on Loop road heading west on SH15 and on SH12 at Rawene Rd.

Remember to visit journeys.nzta.govt.nz just before you head off for real-time travel information, traffic cameras, and updates on delays, roadworks and road closures.

Waka Kotahi can advise that in order to support local communities and visitors to the region, we are opening SH1 through the Mangamuka Gorge over ANZAC weekend.

One lane will be open to light vehicles between 8am and 6pm from April 24-26 only. We will not be opening the road to convoys on Friday April 23 as crews will be relocating heavy machinery and cleaning the site thoroughly in preparation for the opening.

Work is progressing well to repair the remaining slip damage, with crews currently carrying out earthworks to remove enough of the hillside to fully restore the road to two lanes.

Road users are also advised to expect brief road closures on SH16 through Helensville and Wellsford on Sunday morning, while the road is used for ANZAC day commemorations. Detours will be in place during this time.

Heading north out of Auckland traffic is expected to be heaviest on State Highway 1 between Puhoi and Wellsford from midday to 8:00pm on Friday and again between 8:30am and 3:00pm on Saturday.

For those heading south from Auckland through Manukau on SH1, the busiest times are expected to be between 10:00pm and 3:00pm on Friday and between 9:00am and 1:30pm on Saturday. Returning on Monday, expect the motorway to be busiest from 11:00am to 8:00pm.

“Starting your trip at non-peak times can make the journey safer, easier and more enjoyable. Also remember that predicted peak times for travel may change based on traffic incidents, weather, driver behaviour, or changes in Covid-19 alert levels, so it’s also a good idea to check the very latest conditions before you head away,” says Rua Pani.

Tips for safe driving this long weekend

• Check your car is in good ‘health’ before your head off. Check your tyre pressure and tread, windscreen wipers, indicators and lights
• Take extra care when travelling in holiday periods because of increased traffic volumes, congestion, tiredness and people driving in unfamiliar environments.
• Drive to the conditions, even if that means driving lower than the posted speed limit.
• Avoid fatigue. Take regular breaks to stay alert.
• Keep a safe following distance from vehicles in front so you can stop safely.
• Be patient – overtaking is unlikely to make a significant difference to your journey time due to the amount of traffic expected over the weekend.
• Allow plenty of time. Remember you are on holiday, so there’s no need to rush.

Plan ahead for a safe, enjoyable journey. Keep up to date with:

• COVID-19 services update: nzta.govt.nz/COVID19
• Traffic updates: journeys.nzta.govt.nz/traffic
• Facebook Auckland: facebook.com/nztaakl
• Facebook Northland: facebook.com/nztanorthland
• Twitter: twitter.com/WakaKotahiAkNth
• Journey planner: journeys.nzta.govt.nz

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