Peka Peka to Ōtaki Expressway Opens 23 December 2022

Waka Kotahi have finally said:

The Peka Peka to Ōtaki Expressway will be fully open to traffic on Friday this week, 23 December [2022]! It’ll help alleviate holiday queues and delays on SH1.

Of course, now northbound traffic will bunch up north of Ōtaki, but with any luck lots of people will filter off at Ōtaki so it won’t be as heavy as previously.

They go on to say:

You’ll experience some congestion as you merge from two lanes to one at the northern end of the expressway, as well as at some of the on and off ramps. There are also temporary reduced speed limits in place for small unfinished sections which will be completed in the New Year.

From Wednesday evening we’ll be opening the road in phases to complete barrier tensioning and final line marking, so prepare for lower speed limits and traffic management over this initial period.

Enjoy the new road, but please drive to the conditions, keep a safe following distance, use both lanes when traffic builds up, and merge like a zip—that’ll help everyone to get to their destination safely and efficiently.