Crashes on both sides of Auckland's Harbour Bridge clog traffic
Tuesday, 1 January 2019
Multi-vehicle crashes on both sides of Auckland's Harbour Bridge within the hour have clogged traffic on Tuesday evening.
A five-car crash heading south happened between the Shelley Rd and Fanshaw St offramps at about 5.10pm, a police spokeswoman said.
The vehicles had been towed to the side of the road by 5.50pm and traffic 'appeared to be flowing', she said.
A second crash, involving four cars heading north, happened around 5.50pm before the Stafford Rd on-ramp, blocking one lane.
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The New Zealand Transport Authority (NZTA) tweeted about both crashes, asking drivers to delay their journeys if possible.
UPDATE 5:50PM
Another crash has now occurred NORTHBOUND & has blocked the left lane of 3 heading north on the Harbour Bridge. Expect delays northbound through St Mary's Bay. ^TP
— NZTA Akld & Nthlnd (@NZTAAkl) January 1, 2019
SH1 AKL HBR BRIDGE, SOUTHBOUND - CRASH - 5:20PM
A crash is blocking lanes 2 & 3 (of 3) southbound currently on the Harbour Bridge. Tow services are required & congestion is building. Please delay your journey south until all 3 lanes can be reopened. ^TP pic.twitter.com/NOhayJFVOk
— NZTA Akld & Nthlnd (@NZTAAkl) January 1, 2019
Earlier in the afternoon, an incident involving a car and a broken down caravan blocked the southbound inside lane.
SH1 AKL HBR BRIDGE, SOUTHBOUND - CRASH - 12:20PM
A crash is blocking lane 3 (of 3) southbound currently on the Harbour Bridge. Merge left to pass with care & expect some delays. ^TP pic.twitter.com/GRz1Rh1Sff
— NZTA Akld & Nthlnd (@NZTAAkl) December 31, 2018
A tow truck had been called and the car had its hazards lights on, the police spokesman said.
'Merge left to pass and with care [and] expect some delays,' NZTA said in a tweet.
Video footage from the scene showed cars queueing to try to merge over a median strip.
NZTA later said the crash had been moved clear of the lanes, but motorists should expect delays as congestion eased.
Meanwhile, revellers heading back to Auckland from the north are being warned to brace themselves for a long trip home after a crash at the Dome Valley.
A collision between a motorcycle and another vehicle has blocked half of the northbound lane of State Highway 1 between Wellsford and Warkworth.