"We're asking people to plan ahead, expect delays," a spokesperson for Waka Kotahi said. Photo: 123RF
Holiday drivers have been warned to expect delays on the roads this summer, with an increase of people travelling and countrywide roadworks.
Waka Kotahi journey manager Tresca Forrester said the transport agency was seeing higher levels of traffic and rental car bookings across the regions.
"We're definitely heading into our busiest time on the road, particularly before Christmas and through New Year's and the summer holidays, so traffic will be at its peak on our state highway network.
"I think we are back to pre-Covid-19 levels, so there is definitely an element of a lot more people around."
Forrester expected particularly heavy traffic on roads leading to popular holiday spots such as Coromandel, Queenstown and Taupo.
Roadworks in the New Year will also ramp up for the country. Waka Kotahi said a record road renewal and sealing season was currently underway, which covered about 10 percent of the country's total highway network.
Otago and Southland were undertaking significant resealing projects in the New Year, and Waka Kotahi encouraged people driving long distances around the South Island in the summer holidays to add an hour to the usual journey time.
"We're asking people to plan ahead, expect delays, and drive safely," Forrester said.
Waka Kotahi's holiday journeys traffic prediction tool shows predicted traffic flow over the Christmas and New Year holiday.