State Highway 1 has reopened after a milk tanker rolled early this morning, leaving the driver in a serious condition. A 30km/h speed limit is in place.
Emergency services were at the scene near Puhoi, north of Auckland, after the milk tanker crashed at 4:50am.
The driver was trapped inside his vehicle for more than two hours before being taken to hospital.
Thousands of litres of milk fat, which spilled onto the road when the truck overturned, had solidified and formed a slippery surface.
Police had closed the road as the milk fat proved difficult to clean up. The road reopened shortly before 6pm this evening.
"Our contractors have been working hard to clean the spill; however, the road surface is extremely slippery," said highways manager Brett Gliddon.
Workers used high-powered water-blasters to clear the road.
Mr Gliddon thanked motorists for their patience.
"This is a highly unusual situation involving a very slippery substance, and the crash area includes a steep 35km/h corner, so it is vital the spill is extremely well cleaned up to avoid accidents."
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