Source: New Zealand Transport Agency
Resurfacing work within the Karangahake Gorge commences Sunday 9 October, which will see the road closed overnight for a number of days.
From 8pm Sunday until 5am Monday the road will be under stop/go traffic management to allow the removal of the existing surface at a number of locations, and initial resurfacing work to commence. Following this the road will be closed from 8pm-5am each night from Monday night until Thursday night, re-opening 5am Friday for the weekend.
This process will then be repeated the following week.
Closing the road is beneficial for road users and workers, keeping everyone safe while allowing work to progress more efficiently, says Cara Lauder, Waikato System Manager, Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency.
“As regular travellers of the Gorge would know, significant sections of the road are very narrow, and as such it is hard for our contractors to operate heavy machinery while keeping a safe distance from travelling vehicles. Closing the road ensures their safety, allowing them to focus on the job at hand.
“While the road is closed we will have other crews working throughout the area completing other maintenance activities such as litter picking, sign cleaning and replacing, and repairs to other assets.”<</p>
The overall resurfacing programme for the Gorge is expected to take four weeks, a further two-week closure is planned for early-2023.
“We are always looking at how we can undertake our maintenance activities in a more effective manner, decreasing the overall disruption to road users while ensuring we continue to operate a safe and accessible
road network,” says Ms Lauder.
Road users are encouraged to plan ahead, as the detours for this route are significant – travelling over the Kaimai Range via SH27, SH24 and SH29 will add over two hours to a trip between Paeroa and Waihī.
During closure periods road users will see traffic management in place at the intersection of SH26/SH2 (Paeroa) and SH2/Dean Crescent (Waihī); residents within this area will be able to access their property as required.
