All lanes on Auckland’s North Highway reopened after overnight road repairs

All lanes on one of Auckland’s busiest motorways are reopened after urgent repairs had to be carried out.

The north highway (State Highway 1) is now fully open, after lanes in each direction had to be closed since yesterday afternoon, when the road surface was lifted.

The elevated surface resulted in what was described as a “significant speed bump” for vehicles traveling between Greville Rd and Upper Harbor Highway.

The Waka Kotahi NZ Transportation Agency said the uneven surface was caused by road construction crews working under it.

“They were pumping grout material that got blocked and seeped under the road surface, causing it to rise up,” a spokesperson said.

Highway authorities said overnight repairs involved stripping the road surface to remove grouting material and re-paving it with asphalt.

“Waka Kotahi thanks the drivers for their patience and understanding.”

Motorists were alerted to the situation at 2:40 p.m. yesterday.

It caused chaos in traffic during rush hour when people were driving home during the day and people were urged to take an alternate route or wait for long delays.

By 7.30pm, northbound congestion had begun to ease, with a queue reaching Tristram Ave at that stage.