Traffic is expected to be free-flowing northbound on SH1 between Manukau to Bombay throughout the weekend except for Sunday and Monday.
The northbound route will be busy on Sunday afternoon from 1.30pm to 7.30pm and especially heavy on Monday between 2pm and 7.30pm on Monday.
Southbound, traffic on the Manukau to Bombay highway will be heaviest between 5.30pm and 8.30pm today and 10am and 1pm tomorrow.
Additionally, a vehicle has broken down on SH1 and is blocking the northbound lane after the Oteha Valley Rd off-ramp and motorists can expect delays.
Northland
SH1 - Whangārei northbound is predicted to be the heaviest with traffic until 6pm tonight with some busy periods tomorrow between 9.30am and 3pm.
Heading south, traffic on the route will be the heaviest from 11am to 2pm on Monday.
Plan for heavy traffic on SH1 - Kawakawa (South of Paihia/Bay of Islands) northbound until 6pm tonight and between 9am and 12pm tomorrow.
As people return home on the route on Monday, expect heavy traffic between 10am and 2.30pm southbound.
Bay of Plenty
NZTA estimates the weekend's traffic to be heaviest on SH2 between Paeroa and Waihi going eastbound from 4pm to 6.30pm today.
For westbound commuters on the route, the peak traffic period will be on Monday between 10am and 3pm.
SH29 in Kaimai, west of Tauranga, will be heavy with westbound traffic on Monday between 10.30am and 2.30pm.
Waikato
Traffic is predicted to be the heaviest heading north on SH25 - Tairua today until 6pm and tomorrow between 12pm and 2.30pm. There will be busy periods leading up to and following these peak times, but otherwise northbound traffic is expected to be free-flowing across the weekend.
Southbound, expect the traffic to be heavy on the highway on Monday from 12pm to 5pm.
Wellington
Northbound traffic will slow down on SH1 - Kapiti Coast between Peka Peka and Otaki on from Friday through to Sunday around late morning to mid afternoon. The heaviest periods will be today until 6pm and tomorrow from 10am to 12pm.
Heading south, the route will be the most congested on Sunday from 3.30pm to 6.30pm and Monday from 1pm to 5pm.
With the country on the brink of a long weekend, the Ministry of Health has reminded those heading away to have plans in place in case they are identified as a close contact, get Covid-19 symptoms, or find out they have Covid-19.
"You are likely to need to self-isolate wherever you become a close contact or test positive, so there may be extra costs involved in paying for additional accommodation and changing your travel plans."