New Zealand Transport Agency area engineer John Jarvis said recently motorists must be "patient and tolerant and drive to the conditions in all areas, but particularly at that bridge".
Cycle access across the Albert Town bridge on State Highway 6 has been improved to the tune of $50,000, with the aim of reducing vehicle congestion.
Vehicles banked up along State Highway 6 to the Dublin Bay turn-off during last January's Challenge Wanaka race, sparking many complaints from frustrated motorists, Mr Jarvis said.
"Things didn't go at all well on the day for the general motorist. I am surprised we didn't get even more complaints. It was just something we couldn't live with," he said.
A temporary turn-off to the new Wanaka rodeo grounds at Albert Town would ease any potential congestion at the turn-off from the bridge into the nearby camping ground and reserve.
The rodeo is on January 2 and its former Golf Course Rd venue regularly drew about 2000 spectators.
The week-long Challenge Wanaka triathlon festival is expected to draw more than 2000 athletes to the district for a week from January 15. The main race day is January 21.
Contractors have reshaped, widened and sealed the entrance and exit to the narrow wooden pedestrian and cycle lane on the bridge.
Work was essentially completed but some "tidying up" would occur before the race, Mr Jarvis said.
Challenge Wanaka race director Victoria Murray-Orr said normal road rules would apply at the bridge during the race.
Cyclists would be marshalled into a separate left lane and would not be permitted to use the bridge or overtake each other.
Mrs Murray-Orr was delighted with the smoother bridge entrance but acknowledged two plaques and a road barrier made for a tight lane entry and cyclists would have to slow down.
The wooden planks would be carpeted, there would be high-visibility warnings and if the plaques could not be moved back, some form of padding would be used.
"It will be a huge improvement for traffic management and should bring to an end any traffic delays on the Albert Town bridge," she said.
There are no cycle lanes over the one-lane bridges at Luggate and Lindis Crossing, so motorists could still encounter short delays there on race day.
Mrs Murray-Orr said there were minor delays at Luggate last January and no delays at Lindis Crossing. Traffic managers would be at the bridges.
Mr Jarvis said the agency was happy with Challenge Wanaka's traffic management plan.
