MEDIA RELEASE

8 February 2012

NZ Transport Agency – Auckland Motorways

NZTA closing toll road tunnels for safety maintenance

Sections of the Northern Gateway Toll Road on State Highway 1 north of Auckland will be closed over two nights next week when the NZ Transport Agency undertakes its annual maintenance work on the Johnstones Hill tunnels.

• On Tuesday, 14 February, the toll road will be closed northbound between the Silverdale interchange and Puhoi from 9pm until 6am the following morning. Southbound lanes will remain open.

• On Wednesday, 15 February, the southbound lanes will be closed between Silverdale and Puhoi from 6pm to 6am. The road’s northbound lanes will remain open.

On both nights, there will be detours along State Highway 17, the alternative free route between Silverdale, Orewa, Waiwera and Puhoi.

During the closures, necessary maintenance along the length of the toll road will also be carried out.

The NZTA’s State Highway’s Manager for Auckland and North, Tommy Parker, says the work will be done overnight when traffic volumes are lighter to cause as little disruption as possible for drivers.

“There are more than 5 million trips on the toll road annually, and the closures are essential to ensure all the emergency equipment in the tunnels, and the toll road itself, are maintained to the highest standards for the safety of roads users,” Mr Parker says.

The maintenance will be conducted by the NZTA’s Auckland Motorway Alliance, which is responsible for the operation of 220 kilometres of Auckland motorway network.

For updates and information about these works, or any other motorway issues please call Auckland Motorways on 09 5200 200.

ENDS

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