A North Shore commuter has taken two hours and 35 minutes to travel from a northern suburb to the city this morning.

Newstalk ZB newsreader Malcolm Jordan said he was confronted by a staggering level of traffic congestion.

For most of the journey from Torbay to the CBD he was moving an inch every 10 minutes.

"I could have driven to Hamilton and back by the time it took to get me into work today," he said.

Jordan said he had left home an hour earlier than usual to accommodate the expected congestion

Just stay home - that is the advice people are being asked to consider if they live in the North Shore and work in downtown Auckland, as congestion worsens early this morning.

Congestion on the city's motorways has increased markedly from as early as 5.40am, as motorists tried their best to get over the Auckland Harbour Bridge before the usual peak hour traffic.

It comes after the bridge was badly damaged when two trucks were tipped over by strong gusts late on Friday morning - resulting in structural damage that could take several weeks to fix and reducing the number of lanes in use.

By 7.30am, the drive to Silverdale into the city, via the bridge, was taking an hour and seven minutes.

That trip usually takes about 17 minutes.

The same trip via SH18 and SH16 is taking almost two hours - an hour and 55 minutes. That usually takes about half-an-hour.

Anyone driving from Albany to Manukau via the harbour bridge can expect the usually 24-minute drive to be about an hour and 11 minutes this morning.

While anyone driving from Albany to Manukau via SH18/16/20 should be prepared to brave a two-hour and six minute drive, instead of the usual half hour.

Those heading into the city from Helensville - via SH18/SH1 - can expect an almost two-hour drive now rather than a 37 minute one.

Motorists driving to the airport from Albany - via SH18/16/20 - should also prepare for a two-hour drive rather than a usual 28-minute one.