The Easter long weekend has a reputation for miserable road traffic as families head off on holiday to make the most of the last of the warmer weather causing gridlocks on major roads.
Good Friday and the Thursday evening beforehand are traditionally the busiest times to be on the road, as well as Easter Monday and then when school holidays end, which differs from state to state.
But there are a few ways to make Easter travel less stressful, according to experts. Here’s what they say.
Sydney and NSW Easter traffic
In New South Wales, the expected chokepoints are the major roads heading out of Sydney, specifically:
• M1 Pacific Motorway
• Great Western Highway
• Hume Motorway
• Princes Highway
• Hume, Princes, Kings, Great Western and Pacific highways in the regions
“Transport for NSW will have traffic management initiatives in place at the major known pinch points, but travellers should still be prepared to experience delays,” the NSW government said in a statement.
“There may also be other corridors in regional NSW that could experience higher than normal traffic volumes during the Easter holidays.”
Brisbane and Queensland Easter traffic
The Royal Automobile Club of Queensland (RACQ) recommends that if you can’t avoid travelling on the busiest days, try not to drive at peak times, typically between mid-morning and mid-afternoon.
“If you plan on hitting the road for the Easter break, our advice is to allow as much time as possible for delays and aim to drive outside of peak hours if you can,” RACQ Traffic and Engineering Manager Greg Miszkowycz said.
“Traffic can be frustrating, but we must keep a cool head and not let it get the better of us, and the best way to do that is to leave earlier or travel during off-peak times to make sure we’re not stressed about being late.”
He said motorists travelling in Queensland should expect congestion both north and south of Brisbane, on the Gateway and Bruce Highway towards the Sunshine Coast and on the Pacific Motorway towards the Gold Coast.
Many of the state’s major motorways are also undergoing roadworks, which will also add to delays, he said.
Melbourne and Victoria Easter traffic
In Victoria, the main exit points out of Melbourne are expected to be very busy on Thursday and Friday.
Those roads are likely to include:
• West Gate Freeway
• Princes Freeway
• Western Freeway
• Maroonday Highway
• Monash Freeway
Following that initial Melbourne exodus, regional roads are expected to be busier than usual over the weekend.
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Police are urging drivers, especially those in rural and regional Victoria, to be careful on the road.
“With so many lives lost on rural roads this year, we’ll be particularly focused on the major arterials leading to regional Victoria and popular holiday hotspots,” Victoria Police’s assistant commissioner of road policing, Glenn Weir, said.
Over 60 per cent of road deaths in Victoria happen in rural areas.
In South Australia, police are preparing for a busy weekend, focused on reducing road fatalities as the state continues to suffer from preventable road deaths.
The Sturt Highway will be busy with interstate and regional travellers.
Police are urging motorists to drive safely as the state is on track for the most road fatalities it has seen in 20 years.
“So far this year we have lost 41 lives on our roads compared to 20 this time last year,” assistant commissioner of state operations Ian Parrott said.
“This number is too high, and we don’t want to add to it this weekend.
“As thousands of South Australians flock to our regions this weekend, we’re urging everyone to drive to the conditions and make sure they get to their destination and back home safely.”
Motorists in Western Australia have been issued a similar warning, with police warning drivers of the dangers on the roads during the long weekend.
Western Australia’s busiest roads include:
• Mitchell Freeway, West Perth
• Great Eastern Highway
• Great Northern Highway
Police are asking all motorists to be alert and drive with caution, as the state has lost 40 lives to crashes this year.
On average, two people die every Easter from a fatal traffic incident in Western Australia.
“Take your time, be patient and return home,” police told 9News in a statement.
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