SH6 to be closed next week to replace bridge

The rockfall will keep SH6 15km south of Makarora closed.

The Haast Pass will close next week as the New Zealand Transport Agency replaces a bridge to help restore State Highway 6 to two lanes.

The road will close early on Monday to enable the replacement of the bridge at the Diana Falls slip site.

"This closure is critical to enable us to remove of the existing bridge, where Diana Falls goes under the highway, and replace it for work to begin reinstating the highway to two-lane access before Christmas," NZTA regional performance manager Pete Connors said.

The NZTA would close the highway at the Haast township and Makarora at 3pm on Monday and reopen the highway at the slip site at 11am on Tuesday.

Traffic would be released at Haast township at 10am and at Makarora at 10.30am.

Work is weather dependent and, if postponed, the highway will be closed Tuesday and reopened on Wednesday.

"The site may reopen earlier but this will depend on how long it takes to resurface the bridge," Mr Connors said.