Karangahake Gorge to close overnight for resurfacing - motorists urged to plan ahead

Signage and cordons will be in place between Paeroa and Waihi. Photo / File

State Highway 2 Karangahake Gorge will be closed overnight next week for road resurfacing.

The highway will be closed between 8pm and 5am on Monday February 15 and Tuesday February 16.

Signage and cordons will be in place between Paeroa and Waihi.

Waikato System Manager Cara Lauder said detours for this route were significant and encouraged motorists to plan their travel for outside closure times, where possible.

"The southbound detour takes motorists south on SH2 from Waihi to Tauranga, then onto State Highway 29 over the Kaimai Range, State Highway 24 to Matamata, State Highway 27 to Tatuanui and State Highway 26 to Paeroa.

"Motorists travelling from Paeroa take the same route, in the opposite direction."

"Northbound, motorists travelling from Waihi should take State Highway 25, turning onto State Highway 25A (Kopu-Hikuai Road) and then State Highway 26 between Kopu and Paeroa, with motorists travelling from Paeroa taking the same route, in reverse," Lauder said.

Residents access will be available to Mackaytown and Karangahake Village from the western (Paeroa) side and to Waikino Village from the eastern (Waihi) side.

There will also be a one-way detour for northbound traffic between 8pm and 5am on Wednesday February 17 and Thursday February 18 via Old Tauranga Rd and Waitawheta Rd to allow for resurfacing works between Waikino and the Athenree Gorge.

These works are part of the Waka Kotahi spring/summer road maintenance programme, which will see repairs and reseals on state highways across the Waikato to ensure the safety and resilience of the state highway network.

In the event of bad weather or other unforeseen circumstances, work may be postponed.