Holidaymakers won't be able to use a popular alternative route out of Wellington this long weekend.
File photo of cordons on Paekākāriki Hill Road. Photo: RNZ / Emma Hatton
Paekākāriki Hill Road - the alternative route between the Kāpiti Coast and Porirua - will continue to remain closed on Fridays during peak hours.
The road has been closed to the public on Fridays between 3pm in the afternoon and 7pm in the evening since November, and it looks set to stay that way.
The Transport Agency's Regional Transport Systems Manager Mark Owen said Paekākāriki Hill Road is a steep and winding road that can be challenging to drive, especially during peak times.
Mr Owen said the extra traffic using the road at peak times are at a higher risk of crashes.
He said during the trial closure around 710 vehicles took other routes instead, resulting in reduced safety risks.
Porirua City Council Transport Manager Darrell Statham said the decision to close the road on Fridays during peak hours long term was a sensible one.
Emergency services will still have full access to the road at all times.