Police Pleased With Motorists Response
Police are pleased with the response to date from the Auckland motoring public and are cautiously optimistic that advice to plan journeys, avoid congested areas and allow extra travelling time is working.
Traffic in the central city has over the last 24 hours been light to moderate with no significant problems. Police thank motorists for their patience and hope this positive response continues through to Tuesday morning.
As from midnight last night the primary city route linking Apec Leaders' hotels and venues was secured and blocked off by a series of water-filled barriers. This route takes in:
Mayoral
Drive from Queen Street to Cook Street to Wellesley Street
Cook Street from Hobson Street to Mayoral Drive
Vincent Street from Pitt Street to Cook Street/Mayoral
Drive
Greys Avenue from Pitt Street to Mayoral Drive
Pitt Street from Vincent Street to Grey's Avenue (one
lane only)
Albert Street from Wellesley Street to
Customs Street West
Mills Lane around the Stamford Plaza
Woolfe Street from Albert Street to Federal Street
Swanson Street from Mills Lane to Federal Street
Kingston Street from Albert Street to Federal Street.
The above streets will be closed through to midnight
Monday 13 September. They may open for short times between
11pm and 7am but this depends on motorcade
movements.
There will be road closures for up to 30 minutes late this afternoon around Government House when the United States and Chinese Presidents hold a private summit meeting.
The affected streets are:
Gillies Avenue from
the motorway to Owens Road
Owens Road from Gillies
Avenue to Mountain Road
Mountain Road from Owens Roads
to Glenfell Road
All of Glenfell Road, Omana Road and
Savannah Road.
There's been no parking in these areas
from midnight last night. The roads are expected to close
temporarily late afternoon for short periods and again late
in the evening as the Presidents return to their
hotels.
Main interest this morning is in the arrivals at Auckland Airport of major economy leaders including Bill Clinton, president of the United States.
Police will utilise either of two routes from the Airport to escort motorcades into the city.
Northbound lanes of the southern motorway or the alternative Mangere motorway, Pah Road, Gillies Avenue will be closed at various times throughout the day.
Police ask motorists for their continued patience and hope to minimise disruption as much as possible by using either a series of 'rolling block' techniques, or when necessary a total northbound lane closure.
The rolling block involves motorcycles slowing traffic down and creating safe distances for motorcades to enter the roading system. Using the rolling block will keep other traffic moving at a controlled speed, minimise risks of nose to tail collisions and avoid total snarl ups.
The Airport to city routes will be re-opened as quickly as possible.
More traffic updates
will be given throughout the day. Motorists can also ring
the 0800 Apec 99 traffic line or get information off the
internet by accessing the website www.police.govt.nz/special
operations