Thames-Coromandel District Mayor Len Salt says there is a strong feeling of hope and optimism about the coming summer after the district suffered a number of challenges in recent years due to the Covid-19 pandemic and weather events. Photo: RNZ / Cosmo Kentish-Barnes
Roading authorities are working hard to prepare New Zealand drivers for their road trips this summer.
Ahead of the busy holiday season, media were invited to Waka Kotahi's Wellington Transport Operations Centre.
The centre monitors the roading network in the central North Island, lower North Island and the South Island via a network of CCTV cameras and software installed on signs and in tunnels.
It provides safety information to road users, including by sharing information about any incidents or expected busy periods on the roads via social media channels.
Wellington and top of the South Island regional maintenance and operation manager Mark Owen said roads around large population centres were expected to be busy this summer.
"There's a lot of people sort of departing from Auckland, around the Tauranga area, Wellington; obviously in the South Island, Christchurch as well, so very busy around those areas as people leave then come back."
Traffic volumes in main centres will likely start building from this Friday as people set off on their Christmas travels, Wellington and top of the South Island regional maintenance and operation manager Mark Owen says. Photo: RNZ / Rob Dixon
Traffic in the areas they monitored was likely to start ramping up from this Friday and continue through to Christmas Day, Owen told RNZ.
"We find that people are travelling on Christmas Day, it might be shorter distances, meeting relatives."
Popular beach spots in the Coromandel were expected to draw in a lot of people, he said.
The Coromandel has faced a number of challenges in recent years after several summer seasons were disrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic and weather events.
Thames-Coromandel District Mayor Len Salt was excited about the upcoming season.
"This is going to be the best summer we have seen for a very long time," he told RNZ.
"There's a really, really strong feeling of hope and optimism about this coming summer that hasn't been there for probably three years now."
A crucial Coromandel road, State Highway 25A is also set to open tomorrow after being shut throughout this year due to a large chunk of it being washed away in storms.
Constructing a fix for the road included building a new 124-metre bridge to span a large washed-out section of the severed highway.
Salt said having that link restored in a way that gave confidence it would be there and resilient for the future made a big difference.
The Taparahi Bridge was constructed to span a large section of Coromandel's State Highway 25A that washed out in storms earlier this year. Photo: Supplied / Waka Kotahi NZTA
Gisborne Mayor Rehette Stoltz said it had also been a difficult time for that region post Covid-19 and recent weather events.
"What we are asking of everyone [is] come and visit us, come and support our economy, just be mindful that our roading infrastructure might be a little bit more fragile than what you are used to."
Owner of Tokomaru Bay's Cafe 35, Peter Cunningham said progress was being made on the roads.
"They are still not great, but it is all very doable as long as you just take your time."
Cunningham said this summer would be make or break for them.
"We've only just clung on the last year and a half ... so yeah, summer would be absolutely awesome."
NZTA is urging people to plan ahead for their summer trips by checking their vehicles and their routes before departing.