MEDIA RELEASE

18 January 2013

NZ Transport Agency – Auckland Regional Office

NZTA reminds drivers of AHB delays for big ironman race

The NZ Transport Agency reminds drivers to plan their journeys this Sunday (20 January) because sections of the Auckland Harbour Bridge and Northern Motorway (State Highway 1) will be closed as part of the course for an international Ironman event.

The closures, which also include the Northern Busway, will start to be implemented from 1.30am on Sunday and all lanes will be re-opened by 11am.

The NZTA’s Regional Traffic Operations Manager, Kathryn Musgrave, says the NZTA has been working closely with the organisers of Ironman 70.3 Auckland to keep any disruption to drivers to a minimum.

“Even so, the closures are widespread and will have a big impact on people using the harbour bridge. Drivers should allow a little extra time for their journeys, particularly if they are a travelling from the North Shore to Auckland International Airport,” Ms Musgrave says.

The harbour bridge, motorway and busway are sections of the 90km-long cycling course for Ironman 70.3 Auckland, which doubles as the Asia-Pacific Championship event. Six lanes on the bridge will remain open for traffic – three in each direction.

“The ironman event promises to give Auckland a lot of international publicity and we are extremely grateful for the support and co-operation we get from drivers to help make that possible. There will be a lot of distractions on the bridge on Sunday morning and we ask people to drive with care and patience so that they reach their destinations safely,” Ms Musgrave says.

Ironman 70.3 Auckland closures are as follows (closures will start to be implemented at 1.30am on Sunday, 20 January, and will be lifted by 11am);-
Auckland Harbour Bridge: two lanes of the southbound box-girder (clip-on) closed
Shelly Beach Road off ramp: closed
Onewa Road on-ramp southbound: closed (to be re-opened at 9.30am)
Northern Motorway (SH1): lane 1 (left hand or inside lane) closed from just north of the Esmonde Road interchange to the Auckland Harbour Bridge
Northern Busway: closed
The Esmonde Road interchange will remain open for all southbound and northbound traffic.

ENDS

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