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The New Zealand Transport Agency is advising motorists to use the alternative State Highway 16 route from Northland to Auckland when returning to the city after the long Anniversary Day weekend.
The seven-and-a-half kilometre Northern Gateway toll road on
State Highway One was meant to ease congestion, by-passing
Orewa.
But since its opening on Sunday, it has been clogged with heavy
traffic, and the agency is advising of heavy traffic flows again on
Monday from Wellsford south, particularly during the
afternoon.
Motorists are advised to listen for radio updates and use the
alternative State Highway 16 from Wellsford back to Auckland.
The Northern Gateway is toll-free until Tuesday, which has enticed motorists to use it.
At one point on Sunday the entire stretch of road was down to a crawl. NZ Transport Agency spokesman Mark Walker says a trip that would usually take less than 10 minutes was taking an hour, and it will be the same on Monday.
But he stands by the decision to have two days without tolls. Walker says the NZTA prefers people to be able to get to grips with the new route before they also have to deal with the new toll system.
And the AA is confident the Northern Gateway will eventually improve the trip between Auckland and Northland.
AA spokesman Simon Lambourne says Sunday's congestion was only to be expected on a sunny holiday weekend.
He says in future, the road will definitely make for a better journey and the trip will be much safer on the new road.
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