Specialist rope-access crews are making progress on rock-scaling work above State Highway 2 through the Karangahake Gorge as daily road closures continue this week.

NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) says crews are now into their third day of inspecting steep cliff faces above the highway and removing loose or unstable rock.

The work aims to reduce the risk of rockfall and improve the safety and resilience of the route linking Waikato, Bay of Plenty and Coromandel.

The gorge is closed between 9am and 4pm each day until Friday while the inspections and immediate rock removal work are carried out.

A 500m section of SH2 near the historic rail tunnel bridge, extending towards Paeroa, will be fully closed from 9am to 4pm daily during the week of October 12 to October 16.

The first phase of the project focuses on inspecting the cliffs and removing smaller hazards identified during the assessments.

During the second phase of work in October, crews will return to remove larger unstable rock and to complete any additional work identified during the current inspections.

Road users are encouraged to travel through the gorge outside the closure hours, while inter-regional traffic is advised to use SH29 over the Kaimai Range as an alternative route.

NZTA said it would also use the planned closures to complete other maintenance and resilience work where possible, reducing the need for additional disruptions in the future.

Motorists travelling between Waikato and Bay of Plenty are advised to continue using alternative routes during the daily closures.