Traffic tips for Fieldays
It’s National Agricultural Fieldays week and a top tip is to allow extra time to get there, says NZ Transport Agency Highways manager Karen Boyt.
“People should allow extra time when driving during Fieldays because of the increase in traffic on the roads and the fact that it’s winter.
“In winter, weather and road conditions can change in a relatively short period of time so know before you go and regularly check while travelling if it’s safe to do so.”
There are a number of ways to check what’s happening on the roads.
“The best place to get advice is on our website, our social media or by calling 0800 4444 49 to speak to the call centre team who provide traffic and travel information.”
Based on past experience, people should look-out for congestion around Huntly, alongside Lake Karapiro through to the intersection with SH1 and SH29 and on the roads around Mystery Creek and the Hamilton urban area.
There will be a number of worksites underway during Fieldays including the Hamilton section of the Waikato Expressway, the new pedestrian underpass of Cobham Drive and the safety improvement work on SH3 between Ohaupo and Te Awamutu. These projects will allow for two-way traffic to keep people moving as safely as possible.
A roadworks moratorium will also be in place in some parts of Bay of Plenty and Waikato.
Tools for road users
- NZTA has set up a Fieldays section on their website: click here to view
- Phone 0800 4444 49 to speak to the call centre who can provide traffic and travel information
- #fieldays2017. Social media users heading to Fieldays can share their travel experiences by using the hashtag #fieldays2017. The NZTA National Travel Information Service team will answer any queries and let people know about any incidents on the key routes to and from the Fieldays.
- Travel Time Information – a network of units which use Bluetooth technology have been placed at Fieldays and key central North Island towns such as Tauranga, Rotorua, Hamilton and Cambridge. The devices use Bluetooth technology to record actual travel times for vehicles between the location of the trackers and Mystery Creek.
People may also consider using either the new Park and Ride service at The Base or the bus route from the centre of Hamilton out to Fieldays. For more information, click here.
