Motorists warned of strong wind gusts on bridge

Strong winds may impact road users travelling over the Auckland Harbour Bridge today, Tuesday, October 28, until around 2pm, says the New Zealand Transport Agency / Waka Kotahi.

Wind gusts may reach 75kph to 85kph until midday, and from midday until 2pm there is a chance of winds gusting just over 90kph, says NZTA.

“Motorists are advised to drive to the conditions and pay attention to electronic message boards on the motorway, which will advise if any lane closures and reduced speed limits are required.

“If there is potential for sudden and high wind gusts on the bridge, lowering the speed limit gives motorists time to react and take more care.

“Because the lanes are narrow relative to the vehicles using the bridge, the risk of vehicles being buffeted around by wind gusts is higher, which risks damage to the structure.

“This is why we close alternate lanes when wind gusts reach a certain threshold,” says NZTA.

“When wind gusts reach 90kph, we close all lanes because it’s unsafe for any vehicle to be on the bridge and the bridge structure is vulnerable to vehicle impacts.”