Roadworks in the Dunedin-bound lane of Main South Rd (State Highway 1) are expected to last a month, depending on weather.
A 24/7 detour was put in place from Tuesday, while Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) reconstructs half the road and fits new covers to stormwater-connected mud tanks.
However, the traffic detour, along Gladfield Rd, Gladstone Rd South and Quarry Rd (State Highway 87), has been frustrating for some due to high volumes of traffic and lengthy delays.
Her car had been stuck in traffic for nearly 30 minutes and she described the situation as "bloody awful".
A pedestrian said delays at the intersection of Gladstone and Quarry Rds were "massive".
Another said traffic in Gordon Rd (SH87) had been backed up "all the way to the shops" yesterday morning.
While the intersection was always quite busy, the detour had had made things worse, she said.
NZTA coastal Otago senior network manager Chris Harris said he was aware of unanticipated delays of up to 20 minutes during yesterday morning’s peak traffic period.
"We understand such delays are frustrating for motorists and we appreciate the patience of everyone affected by this detour," Mr Harris said.
The traffic management plan for the detour had been reviewed and adjustments made to ensure smoother movement of detoured traffic.
NZTA was monitoring the traffic signals remotely and making adjustments in real time to minimise delays for all road users.
"Staff on site will monitor the effectiveness of these changes to evaluate if further changes are required," Mr Harris said.
