Auckland Road Report

Planned closure Auckland Central Motorway (Spaghetti) Junction 

Overnight motorway closures

22 December 2024 – 10 January 2025 

UPDATE: Timings for Central Motorway Junction (CMJ) ramps and links have been revised. Please see the updated details below.

NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi advises of the following closures for motorway improvements. Work delayed by bad weather will be completed at the next available date, prior to Friday, 10 January 2025. Please note this Traffic Bulletin is updated every Friday.

Check daily updated closure information: www.journeys.nzta.govt.nz 

Unless otherwise stated, closures start at 9pm and finish at 5am. Traffic management may be in place before the advertised closure times for the mainline.

          
 NORTHERN MOTORWAY (SH1)

  • Northbound lanes between Northcote Road off-ramp and Tristram Avenue on-ramp, 9 January (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)
    • Northcote Road northbound on-ramp, 9 January
  • Southbound lanes between Northcote Road off-ramp and Onewa Road on-ramp, 9 January (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)
    • Northcote Road southbound on-ramp, 9 January
    • Esmonde Road southbound on-ramp, 9 January
  • Shelly Beach Road southbound off-ramp, 25 December-2 January (24/7)
  • Stafford Road northbound off-ramp, 1-5 January (24/7)
  • Curran Street northbound on-ramp, 1-5 January (24/7)

CENTRAL MOTORWAY JUNCTION (CMJ)

  • Southbound lanes between Fanshawe Street off-ramp and Grafton Road on-ramp, 26-30 December & 1-5 January
    • Hobson Street (SH1) southbound on-ramp, 26-30 December & 1-5 January
    • Symonds Street southbound on-ramp closed, 26 December 9pm to 31 December 6am (24/7)
    • Symonds Street southbound on-ramp closed, 1 January 9pm to 6 January 6am (24/7)
  • SH16 eastbound to SH1 southbound link, 26 December 9pm to 31 December 6am (24/7)
  • SH16 eastbound to SH1 southbound link, 1 January 9pm to 6 January 6am (24/7)

SOUTHERN MOTORWAY (SH1)

  • Southbound lanes between Mt Wellington Highway off-ramp and East Tamaki Road on-ramp, 8 January (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)
    • Mt Wellington Highway southbound on-ramp, 8 January
    • Princes Street southbound on-ramp, 8 January
    • Highbrook Drive southbound on-ramp, 8 January
  • Northbound lanes between Drury/SH22 off-ramp and Papakura on-ramp, 9 January
    • Drury/SH22 northbound on-ramp, 9 January
  • Drury/SH22 southbound on-ramp, 7 January
  • Northbound lanes between Ramarama off-ramp and Papakura on-ramp, 7-8 January
    • Drury/SH22 northbound on-ramp, 7-8 January
    • Ramarama northbound on-ramp, 7-8 January
  • Bombay southbound off-ramp, 6-9January
  • SH1 southbound to SH2 eastbound link, 6 & 8-9 January

NORTHWESTERN MOTORWAY (SH16)

  • Southbound lanes between Waimauku roundabout and Foster Road, 8-9 January (approx. 8:00pm to 5:00am)
  • Northbound lanes between Foster Road and Waimauku roundabout, 8-9 January (approx. 8:00pm to 5:00am)
  • Southbound lanes between Access Road and Taupaki Road roundabout, 9 January
  • Northbound lanes between Taupaki Road roundabout and Access Road, 9 January
  • Northbound lanes between Hobsonville Road off-ramp and Brigham Creek Road roundabout, 7 January (approx. 9:30pm to 5:00am)
  • SH16 northbound to SH18 eastbound link, 7 January (approx. 9:30pm to 5:00am)

UPPER HARBOUR MOTORWAY (SH18)

  • Westbound lanes between Greenhithe Road off-ramp and Tauhinu Road on-ramp, 6 January
  • Eastbound lanes between Tauhinu Road off-ramp and Greenhithe Road on-ramp, 6 January
  • Squadron Drive eastbound on-ramp, 6 January (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)
  • Eastbound lanes between Brigham Creek Road off-ramp and Brigham Creek Road on-ramp, 6 January (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)
  • Eastbound lanes between Hobsonville Road off-ramp and Squadron Drive on-ramp, 7 January
    • Hobsonville Road eastbound on-ramp, 7 January
    • Trig Road eastbound on-ramp, 7 January
    • Brigham Creek Road eastbound on-ramp, 7 January

SOUTHWESTERN MOTORWAY (SH20)

  • Southbound lanes between Neilson Street off-ramp and Neilson Street on-ramp, 7 January (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)

GEORGE BOLT MEMORIAL DRIVE (SH20A)

  • Bader Drive northbound off-ramp, 6-7 January

PUHINUI ROAD (SH20B)

  • None planned

STATE HIGHWAY 22 (SH22)

  • None planned

STATE HIGHWAY 2 (SH2)

  • None planned
 

Please follow the signposted detours. NZ Transport Agency thanks you for your co-operation during these essential improvements and maintenance.

Planned closures on Auckland state highway network

We’ve launched our summer works campaign, which you may have seen. This email is to provide you with an overview of what to expect on the Auckland state highway network over the summer holidays.

We will be closing a section of State Highway 1 (SH1) from 26 December to 6 January to replace a bridge joint.

The bridge joint is located on the southbound lanes between the Symonds Street and Grafton Road overbridges. The works will not only impact SH1 southbound, but also SH16 eastbound and the Wellesley Street interchange.

Prework

In preparation for the bridge joint replacement, we will be doing some preparatory work from Sunday-Thursday next week (15-19 December), from 10pm-5pm.

Bridge Joint Replacement

We would like to confirm our schedule for the bridge joint and share an update on detours.

The work has been scheduled for the following dates:

  • 9pm 26 December to 9pm 28 December
  • 9pm 1 January to 5am 6 January

During the day (5am to 9pm) there will be southbound lane restrictions on SH1 through Spaghetti Junction between Hobson Street on-ramp and Khyber Pass Road on-ramp.

During the night (9pm to 5am) there will be a full southbound closure from Victoria Park Viaduct to Khyber Pass Road.

If you are travelling south, we recommend taking the Western Ring Route using SH16 and SH20 to avoid this area.

The below ramps and links will be closed throughout the works (24/7):

  • SH16 eastbound to SH1 southbound link
  • Symonds Street southbound on-ramp

The below ramp will only be closed during the night:

  • SH1 Hobson Street southbound on-ramp

Detours

  • SH1 southbound traffic: Take the SH16 Port link to Wellesley Street. You will be able to use the Grafton Road southbound on-ramp to link back to SH1 southbound. 
  • SH16 eastbound to SH1 southbound (day and night): Exit at Newton Road and detour via Newton Road and Khyber Pass Road to the SH1 Khyber Pass Road southbound on-ramp.
  • SH1 Symonds Street southbound on-ramp (day and night): Continue up Symonds Street and follow the detour via Khyber Pass Road to the Khyber Pass Road southbound on-ramp.
  • CBD to SH1 southbound: Use the recommended detour via Hobson Street, Pitt Street, Karangahape Road, Symonds Street and Khyber Pass Road to the SH1 Khyber Pass Road southbound on-ramp.

View detour map.

Stage 2 of the Strand Optimisation Project

We are pleased to advise that the detailed design for Stage 2 of the Strand Optimisation Project, which includes implementing a separated shared use path has now been finalised.
In October 2024, we provided an update on the development of the design, see attached previous email update. At that time, we outlined that the project would be completed in two stages:
  • Stage 1 improvements: implementing a special vehicle lane, relocating or removing bus stops, installing new pedestrian crossings, and upgrading intersections.
  • Stage 2 improvements: implementing a shared use path.
Since this update, our contractors, Auckland Systems Management has been leading the delivery of Stage 1, including key communications.
 We are now in a position to share more detailed plans of the shared use path, along with the timeframes and next steps.
The Stage 2 improvements include:
  • Connecting the shared use path to the existing Grafton Gully shared use path just prior to Alten Road. It will follow the existing path on Churchill Street to the new signalised crossing, then run along Beach Road and connect to The Strand up to the rail overbridge. It will be separated from the road to improve safety, road efficiency and productivity. For a visual overview, please refer to the attached map Stage 2 – Shared Use Path The Strand’.
  • Two-way travel for the entire length of the shared use path.
  • Installation of high kerbs on the approach to the rail overbridge and adjustments to the lane positions to improve vehicle tracking to prevent kerb runover.
  • Upgrades to the existing fence extending from just north of Sudbury Terrace to the rail overbridge.
  • Zebra crossings on all side streets to provide shared use path users with priority.     
Throughout the project, we heard loud and clear how important it was to provide a safer travel corridor for people walking and on bikes. Most respondents from our 2023 consultation, supported the concept of a separated shared use path, with the cycling community and heavy vehicle representatives emphasising that the clear separation would greatly improve the safety of people walking and using bikes along this route compared to the current conditions. However, we also recognise the need to balance this with the efficiency of freight movements and high-occupancy vehicles which has been a key aim of the project from the outset.
Our technical team has completed the detailed design, and we are now progressing through the consenting process. We anticipate physical works for the shared use path will commence in April 2025, though final timings will depend on the outcome of the consenting process and the construction programme.
While there may be some overlap between the construction of Stage 1 and Stage 2, the physical works for the shared use path can proceed separately. This is because the shared use path can largely be constructed without disrupting the road and has minimal interface with the SVL works planned in Stage 1. Throughout construction our priority will be to minimise any disruption to the local community, businesses and road users as best as possible. We will provide further updates when more information is available.
 

Auckland Harbour Bridge maintenance

In addition to the bridge joint replacement on SH1, we will be carrying out our regular programme of maintenance on the Auckland Harbour Bridge on the same dates.

From 2am Thursday 26 December 2024 to 5am Monday 6 January 2025 our team will be undertaking resurfacing on the southbound clip-on lanes followed by bridge maintenance work under the northbound clip-on lanes. There will be lane restrictions 24/7 but traffic will still be able to travel in both directions at all times.

We also have a larger summer maintenance programme that will run until late March.

Lane restrictions will be in place throughout the duration of works, including public holidays. We recommend using the SH16 and SH18 Western Ring Route to avoid congestion.

  • During work on southbound clip-on lanes (1 & 2) Shelly Beach Road off-ramp will be closed and Shelly Beach Road will be closed from Westhaven. Signposted detours will be in place.
  • During work on northbound clip-on lanes (1 & 2) Curran Street on-ramp and Stafford Road off-ramp will be closed. Signposted detours will be in place.
 
 


Signalisation (traffic lights) at SH22 / Great South Road intersection

NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) is about to begin installing traffic lights at the SH22 and Great South Road intersection.

The signalisation of this intersection is required to mitigate traffic impacts during the planned future long-term closure of the Drury northbound off-ramp, shorter-term closures of the Drury southbound on-ramp, traffic diversions during the main State Highway widening construction and other diversions associated with the Stage 1B of the SH1 Papakura to Drury project.

That planned long-term off-ramp closure will be necessary to enable the construction of the replacement Drury northbound off-ramp immediately beside (but much higher than) the existing ramp.


Existing traffic volumes around this intersection mean that motorists wanting to turn right onto SH22 from Great South Road already experience significant delays. This intersection will also lie on the main northbound detour route during any nighttime closures of the motorway needed for widening SH1 and relocating Drury Interchange eastwards. The decision has therefore been made to signalise the intersection now given the existing issues and the coming traffic impacts of the Papakura to Drury project.

What is happening?
Signalising the SH22 / Great South Road intersection will take approximately four months to complete starting Monday 6 January 2025. The scope of work for the signalisation includes:
• Road widening and kerb line extension
• Traffic island installation
• Traffic lights installation
• New road markings and signs
• Enabling mechanical work for traffic signals (underground ducting etc.)
• New asphalt paving and line marking at the completion of the signalisation.

How will this work affect me?
• Construction works will start off with nighttime works generally occurring between 8pm and
5am from Sunday to Thursday nights. Later, the team will move to daytime works between
7am and 6pm from Monday to Saturday.
• The majority of the project works will be done during the day, however, some night works are
scheduled. We will update the community as to when this will happen.
• Traffic control will be in place during work hours. This will vary between lane closures, twoway stop/go controls and detours.
• Cycle access will be maintained during the project. There may be times where cyclists are
detoured to keep everyone safe. Please follow all posted signage.
• Construction works will create noise, vibration, and dust. We will endeavour to keep
disruption to a minimum.

 
 

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