Victoria Park Tunnel Nearly Ready

So just when does Auckland's new Victoria Park road tunnel actually
open?
On the NZ Transport Agency website, the 19 October update tells us it will be "officially opened on Saturday 19 October" – which date-wise is clearly wrong!
I assume it meant the official opening is this Saturday 29th., as there's a public walk-through of the new $340m tunnel this Saturday too (sorry, already fully booked). The website mentions work 4-7 November to connect the motorway to the tunnel, to be then followed by northbound traffic shifting to the tunnel on Monday 7 November.
So there we finally have it: 7 November will be Miraculous Traffic Problem Disappearance Day! As we know all too well, it only takes one reasonable-sized accident or heavy patch for the entire central motorway to 'gridlock'. So fingers crossed that the expectation, of the last major bottleneck on the central motorway network between the Harbour Bridge and Newmarket disappearing, will come true – not just be shifted to another part of the system.
And hats off to the NZTA workforce, completing the tunnel job three months ahead of schedule!
Two lanes (of three) will take traffic northbound. The tunnel won't be in full operation (ie: three lanes) until the project's completion, in early 2012, when southboard traffic will eventually take over all four lanes of the current Victoria Park Flyover.