Traffic set to triple on some Bay of Plenty and Waikato state highways this Easter

More than 20,000 extra vehicles are expected to hit state highways around the Bay of Plenty and Waikato this Easter weekend, with traffic predicted to triple on one key route to the Coromandel.

The NZ Transport Agency says planning ahead for your long weekend travels will help motorists stay safe and avoid delays.

'We are expecting thousands of people to hit the roads this weekend,' the Transport Agency’s regional performance manager, Karen Boyt says.

'Last Easter traffic on State Highway 25A in the Coromandel increased by 77 per cent and other roads such as State Highway 2 (SH2) increased by more than 40 per cent. State Highway 29 (SH29) over the Kaimai Range went up by almost a third when compared to a regular summer day.