Mount Maunganui, Pāpāmoa, and Tauranga residents are advised to plan ahead to avoid travel delays this weekend as record numbers of athletes and visitors descend on the region to take part in high-profile events.
Saturday, January 22, will be a particularly busy day for the city’s roads.
Thousands of athletes are expected to take part in the iconic Mount Festival of Multisport, while the Bay Oval will host the T20 Black Clash, and the inaugural Polo in the Bay takes place at Trustpower Arena.
"The city will see an influx of people this weekend, so we urge people to plan ahead and avoid the traffic hotspots where possible,” says Nelita Byrne, Tauranga City Council’s Venues and Events Manager.
Several road closures will be in place for the Mount Festival of Multisport:
-The Mall (Pilot Bay) will be closed from 6am Friday to 9pm Saturday.
-Oceanbeach Road and Pāpāmoa Beach Road up to Parton Road will be closed from 4.30am until 1pm on Saturday.
-Marine Parade and Adams Avenue will be closed from 4.30am until 5pm on Saturday.
-The Tauranga Eastern Link Toll Road (TEL) eastbound lanes between Domain Road and Paengaroa will be closed for the cycle leg of the event from 6am to 1pm on Saturday. Motorists are advised to take the Te Puke Highway as an alternative route.
Roads may open sooner to vehicles when possible.
Residents and businesses can still access their properties during the event but are asked to plan ahead for travel or consider using alternative routes if possible.
Significant congestion and delays of up to 30 minutes on Saturday morning are likely, particularly in Pāpāmoa around Parton and Tara roads as cyclists link up with the Tauranga Eastern Link leg of the event (Saturday) between 7:45am and 11:45am.
“To avoid the traffic delays disrupting your plans, where possible, please aim to travel outside of these times,” says Nelita.
For safety reasons, the TEL and Paengaroa roundabout will be closed to spectators and traffic management will be in place.
The best place to watch the event is along Marine Parade and Oceanbeach Road, Mount Maunganui.
Signage with detour routes will be in place in the days leading up to the event. For up-to-date information on traffic, detours and delays, visit the Waka Kotahi journey planner at journeys.nzta.govt.nz.
Saturday evening will also be busy in Mount Maunganui with around 10,000 people heading to Bay Oval for the T20 Black Clash.
Sunday, January 23, will be another busy day with Concert in the Park on the Tauranga Waterfront, and the Round the Mount Swim, starting at Pilot Bay.
The three events taking place on Saturday, January 22, are expected to attract more than 12,000 people to Tauranga and contribute more than $700k to regional GDP as the city kicks off an impressive summer series of events.
For more information on upcoming events and road closures, visit My Tauranga and Mount Festival of Multisport.
