Traffic is heavy along the main corridors as rush-hour traffic and breakdowns mix with holidaymakers escaping for the long weekend.

The northbound lanes are clogged between the Harbour Bridge and Constellation Drive with traffic still heavy until Redvale.

Motorists heading south will find traffic slow until Takanini. The Waterview Tunnel is free-flowing.

On the Southwestern Motorway a breakdown in one of the middle southbound lanes after Mangere Bridge is causing major delays.

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Motorists have been urged to be patient as holidaymakers make a mass exodus for the "long" weekend with authorities urging caution on the roads.

Many have planned to take Monday off to give themselves a four-day weekend with Waitangi Day on Tuesday.

In Waitangi, Waitangi Holiday Park manager Bruce Cairns said rain had put some people off but Paihia was busy with people keen to observe Waitangi celebrations.

The Waitangi Holiday Park site could hold up to 400 people in tents and campervans but Cairns recommended booking in advance online to get the best deal.

Pauanui Glade Holiday Park manager Pam Witham said with the holiday falling on a Tuesday it did make it harder for people to get away but many "would take the Monday off".

Witham said she expected they would fill up fairly quickly.

"It's anybody's guess. If they come in, they come in.

"It's pretty much business as usual."

She said the area had a beautiful skate park for kids and regularly drew in a lot of families.

The locals were never put off by the weather because the brunt of it tended to miss the area, she said.

Northland road policing manager Wayne Ewers said he was urging motorists to be patient over the long-weekend.

The SH1 network is of concern, he said.

"That's where we have the heaviest traffic.

"We are urging people to be patient, to plan their trips and to drive to the conditions.

"You don't have to pass the car in front."

There would be more police cars on the roads this weekend, he said.

NZTA has issued a warning for the following roads, anticipating heavy congestion.

Auckland
SH2 - Maramarua (east of SH1/SH2 Interchange)
SH1 - between Puhoi and Wellsford
SH1 - Takanini (south of Auckland)
Bay of Plenty
SH2 - Between Paeroa and Waihi
SH2 - Between Tauranga and Katikati
SH29 - Kaimai (west of Tauranga)

Canterbury
SH73 - Arthur's Pass
SH1 - Kaikoura
SH1 - between Ashburton and Christchurch
SH7 - Lewis Pass
SH1 - Waipara (North of Christchurch)
SH1 - Waimakariri

Manawatu-Wanganui
SH2 - Norsewood between Hastings and Woodville SH3
SH1 - between Taihape and Waiouru

Marlborough-Tasman
SH6 - Murchison
SH63 - St Arnaud
SH6 - between Nelson and Blenheim

Napier
SH5 - Te Pohue (North of Napier)
Northland
SH1 - Whangarei

Otago
SH6 - Queenstown
Waikato
SH1 - Karapiro (south of Cambridge)
SH1 - Taupiri (north of Hamilton)

Wellington
SH1 - Kapiti Coast
SH2 - Rimutaka Hill between Wellington and Featherston

NORTHBOUND: Heavy between the Harbour Bridge and Constellation Dr

Then moderate to heavy between Greville Rd and Redvale
then moderate to heavy between Greville Rd and Redvale

CITYBOUND: Moderate to heavy between Northcote Rd & the Harbour Bridge

SOUTHERN MOTORWAY
SOUTHBOUND: Moderate to heavy between Spaghetti Junction and Ellerslie

Then heavy between Mt Wellington and Takanini

CITYBOUND: Moderate to heavy between Princes St and Market Rd

NORTHWESTERN MOTORWAY
WESTBOUND: Heavy between Rosebank and Lincoln Rd

CITYBOUND: Moderate to heavy between Royal Rd and Lincoln Rd

WATERVIEW TUNNEL SOUTHBOUND: Free flowing

SOUTHWESTERN MOTORWAY
SOUTHBOUND: Moderate to heavy between Great North Rd and Lincoln Rd

The tail for the Southern link is at Cavendish Dr

NORTHBOUND: Free flowing

WATERVIEW TUNNEL NORTHBOUND: Free flowing