Auckland Harbour Bridge: Traffic flowing smoothly after days of congestion chaos

After nightmare congestion around the city's motorways when the Auckland Harbour Bridge was damaged, traffic is flowing smoothly for the first time in days.

Use whichever route you prefer at this stage, motorists are being told, as both State Highway 1 via the bridge and the Western Ring Route roads are clear this morning.

Real-time travel times provided by the Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency says travel times are similar on either route.

Just after 8.30am, the drive from Silverdale into the city centre, via the harbour bridge, was taking about 20 minutes.

SH1 AKL HBR BRIDGE - DELAYS - 7:35AM
Southbound travel times remain similar via either #SH1 (only heavy from Northcote Rd) or the #WRR (SH18/16/20). Consider either route south subject to your destination. Check current travel times before you go: https://t.co/0hGPlya9St ^TP pic.twitter.com/uG0wsDi09E

— Waka Kotahi NZTA Auckland & Northland (@WakaKotahiAkNth) September 23, 2020

That same journey via the Western Ring Route is only about 10 to 15 minutes longer at the moment.

Those heading into Manukau from Albany, via SH1 and the bridge, can expect to travel for about 30 minutes.

State Highway 18 Trig Road is flowing smoothly this morning. Image / Waka Kotahi NZTA

That trip using the back way is about 43 minutes.

Anyone going to the airport from the city is in for a trip of just under half an hour, according to the NZTA website.

And a drive from Te Atatū to Manukau via SH16 and SH20 is taking about 25 minutes right now.

Permanent fix still weeks away

The reprieve comes after temporary repairs were completed in record time early

yesterday morning and the night before after a strut on the harbour bridge was damaged last Friday.

Contractors worked throughout the night to carry out the work, which replaced the lower half of the damaged strut with a section of freshly fabricated steel.

The damage was done when freak gusts of up to 127km/h whipped through the bridge about 11am on Friday - causing two trucks to tip.

One of the trucks managed to right itself, but not before hitting the strut that resulted in the bridge being reduced to just a few lanes.

Engineers install a temporary fix for the damaged Auckland Harbour Bridge. Photo / Waka Kotahi NZTA

The temporary fix meant that three lanes going in each direction were open on the bridge yesterday morning, relieving much of the traffic congestion that has been building around the city's motorways as people tried to find alternative ways to get into the CBD.

For the past few days, residents on the North Shore have been encouraged to avoid the bridge, travel outside of peak hours or use the alternative Western Ring Route.

Heavy traffic on the Upper Harbour Motorway near Hobsonville on Monday. Photo / Dean Purcell

People were also encouraged to work from home or to use public transport.

That has resulted in a surge in numbers of people taking the bus into the city in the morning or travelling on ferries.

Yesterday, Fullers360 announced it would be putting on extra ferry services on its Devonport route for at least two weeks in a bid to help residents and as a direct response to the harbour bridge issues.

Work is continuing permanently fix the bridge. That work is expected to take weeks, road authorities say.