It's a case of grin and bear it for Mōkau businesses facing yet another complete closure of the Awakino Gorge - the link between Taranaki and Waikato - on State Highway 3.The Transport Agency has announced the gorge will be closed between the rest area near the Historic Tunnel and the intersection of SH3 and Manganui Road, for four days from 6am Saturday 22 August to 6pm Tuesday 25 August.During the closure, crews will be working to install three culverts to drain water, which is currently flowing over the road, at the massive slip that came down in April.It's the ninth closure of the Awakino Gorge for weather-related incidents or repairs in recent times.Owner of the River Run Cafe in Mōkau, Dev Rawat, said road closures were devastating for his business."We depend on the people who passing through State Highway 3 and when the road is shut no one come into the cafe and that impact us lots."So, we have to shut our business for those days, and last time we were shut for five days and there was no business."He would like the government to offer compensation."Last year, the store was closed more than six or seven times, and that's affecting our business lots. It's hard to pay our staff, pay bills and everything."And the government's not think about the local businesses around here. They're supposed to think about it and give some compensation, so we can get some relief."Waka Kotahi incident controller Kendra Ludeke said closing the road was always a last resort."We wouldn't be closing the road unless there was another way. We've looked at a number of other options, but this is the most efficient way to install these culverts, which means installation happens quicker and the road open quicker."Waka Kotahi's Kendra LudekeRNZ / Robin MartinLudeke said the work requires heavy machinery to be on the road to make a deep excavation, with large open trenches and there was no space for vehicles to pass around or safely through the worksite."It is quite narrow and we're working under what's already a single lane due to the slip above it. So, it's paramount due to safety for the road workers and for crews and for people that drive the road every day that we close it to be able to complete this work.Ludeke thanked the local community and the travelling public for their patience."People travelling through Awakino Gorge and local communities have been incredibly understanding and patient over the past few months. We don't take that for granted. We understand a four-day closure of the road will be highly disruptive for local communities, businesses, freight operators, emergency services and people travelling between regions."Doing this work next month over a four-day full closure will be a big step forward in the recovery of this stretch of road and sets the area up for the next stage of recovery work.The Mōkau Butcher, Bryan Lester, says there's no point opening when the Awakino Gorge is closed.RNZ / Robin MartinMōkau Butcher owner Bryan Lester said NZTA found themselves between a rock and a hard place."Yeah, well, I've got mixed emotions, the work has to be done. Those culverts do need replacing and I know it's pretty hard for them to do the culverts while trying to get in and out with trucks with dirt and stuff like that. But yeah, it's certainly ... mixed emotions because it's not good for my business."It has a huge impact."Lester said he'd consider shutting shop during the road closure too."Well, we might ... close as well. I mean the last closure, I think I served five customers for a whole day when they had the road closed only a week or so ago. So yeah, pretty much we close our doors."New Plymouth mayor Max Brough said closures on SH3 at Awakino were becoming routine."Oh, it's hard work, isn't it? But, you've got to do the work. The problem it comes back to is that there's no alternate route, you know, no easily accessible alternate route, right?"Look, it's disappointing, but you can't fix something without doing the work, can you?"But it's a tough call, right? Tough call for Taranaki yet again this year. Will it be nine closures, I think? Nine if we get to the end of the year without any more closures."SH3 through the Awakino Gorge has been pummelled by the weather this year, creating the need for major repairs.Supplied / NZ Transport AgencyThe culverts were being delivered separately from the $50 million Awakino Gorge resilience package that was announced in May. It was focused on reducing the risk of slips and similar events happening in the future and was currently in development.This work would be focused on reopening this section of road to two lanes following the April weather event and slip.NZTA's recommended detour during the road closure was via the SH1-SH4 route.