Photo / Michael Duggan
A truck carrying a digger in a trailer has hit the Penrose over bridge, blocking the middle and right hand lane of the southern motorway, southbound.
The arm of the digger has hit the over bridge, part of the Ellerslie Panmure southbound on-ramp, and a New Zealand Transport Agency spokeswoman said it needed to be assessed for damage.
All southbound lanes were initially blocked. See below for current situation:
4.12pm: Auckland Transport has advised that bus 550x travelling out of the city will use Great South Rd, rather than the motorway.
4.10pm: NZTA says traffic is still congested from the city to Penrose. Alternative route SH20 (South Western Motorway) is flowing well at present.
4pm: The Penrose bridge has been deemed safe for all vehicles. An NZTA spokeswoman said there are signs ahead of the bridge, warning motorists with overheight vehicles to pull over.3.50pm: The current travel time between Hobson St in the city and Manukau is an hour and 12 minutes. The normal time is 15 minutes, according to Auckland Transport.
3.20pm: Two Southbound lanes in Penrose are still blocked on the Southern Motorway, Southbound. On-ramps at Ellerslie-Panmure, Greenlane and St Marks Rd are now closed.
3.18pm: Southbound traffic between the city and Ellerslie is travelling at approximately 15 kilometres an hour, according to the NZTA.
3:15pm: Traffic heading south is at a standstill on the Southern Motorway from the city, after a truck carrying a digger in a trailer hit the Penrose overbridge.
The New Zealand Transport Agency says motorists should avoid the area, or expect long delays.
The agency recommends motorists use Great South Rd or the South Western Motorway as an alternative route.
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