With the move from level three to level two, traffic in our area is getting back to what it once was. Queues in and out of Warkworth are building again, and with the Queen’s Birthday holiday this weekend, we can expect to see the return heavy congestion.

Queen’s Birthday weekend last year saw five fatal crashes, and to avoid such tragedies this year, motorists are being reminded to drive carefully and to the conditions. 

According to NZTA, over 23,000 vehicles travel the route between Puhoi and Warkworth each day with vehicle numbers increasing over long weekends, such as the one ahead. Last year, traffic congestion stretched from Wellsford to Puhoi from 10:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. as everyone headed south on Monday. Traffic on long weekends tends to be heaviest on Friday from early afternoon to evening, and all day Monday.

NZTA recommends planning all trips well in advance and avoiding peak traffic times and routes to ensure you get to your destination fast, and safely.

Because predicted peak times can change based on incidents, weather and even driver behaviour, the NZTA Journey Planner can be a great tool for accurate information about current road and traffic conditions.

State Highway One between Warkworth and Puhoi is notorious for traffic, and due to the number of cars, it is unfortunately also an area that sees a lot of accidents. To combat this, NZTA is proposing to reduce the speed limit from 100 km/h to 80 km/h.

In a few years, we will have the new Puhoi to Warkworth motorway, the Matakana Link Road and hopefully the improved Hill Street intersection, hopefully reducing traffic congestion.