Motorcyclists and high-sided vehicles urged to avoid Auckland Harbour Bridge
Monday, 28 September 2020
Motorcyclists and drivers of high-sided vehicles are being urged to avoid using the Auckland Harbour Bridge as strong winds continue into Tuesday.
It comes after Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency said lanes on the bridge could close on short notice because of the wind.
On Monday morning, it said it would not hesitate to close some lanes or the whole bridge for “short periods of time” for safety reasons if wind gusts exceeded 80kmh.
Neil Walker, the agency’s senior journey manager, warned the closures could happen at “very short notice”.
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Walker said winds have gusted up to 75kmh on Monday and high winds were forecast to continue until Tuesday afternoon.
“We are strongly advising motorcycles and high-sided vehicles to use the Western Ring Route as a safer alternative.”
Wind gusts remain a concern and the agency’s bridge team continues to measure gusts to assess whether lanes on the bridge will need to close as a safety measure.
“Closures may happen at very short notice. Waka Kotahi acknowledges the lane closures will cause disruption and inconvenience, however safety is our top priority and the lanes closures will be lifted as soon as it is safe to do so,” Walker said.
Earlier, MetService advised more unsettled weather with strong wind gusts was forecast for Monday and Tuesday.
“Waka Kotahi is taking a very conservative approach to managing the bridge during this period of unsettled weather and is closely monitoring wind patterns,” Walker said.
MetService meteorologist Mmathapelo Makgabutlane said at about 8am that wind speeds on the bridge at 6am Monday had been 67kmh, but were currently hovering around 50kmh.
Heading into the afternoon, she said winds speeds and gusts could increase again, between 50 to 60kmh.
But with a cold front moving in overnight, Makgabutlane said winds could reach between 70 to 80kmh. Showers, possibly heavy, and hail were also on the cards.
On Monday afternoon, meteorologist Georgina Griffiths said wind gusts were expected to be much the same on Tuesday as they were on Monday.
A cold front at dawn could bring heavy rain and gusts between 70 and 90kmh.
Weather would improve for later in the week, she said.
The NZTA had looked at closing lanes on the bridge on Sunday if wind gusts reached 90kmh, as forecast.
However, the wind speed eased off about 10am so lane closures were not required.
As at the weekend, Auckland Transport was looking to replace double decker with single decker buses over the bridge on Monday and Tuesday as a safety precaution.