ALL THE Department of Transport and Main Roads wants for Christmas is a 24-7 Cunningham's Gap.

As work nears a close on the mammoth series of upgrades begun nearly two years ago, the department is confident the Gap will be fully open to road users before the start of the holidays.

A spokeswoman yesterday said contractors working on the last of the 11 sites to be repaired - a new road section at Clayton's Gully - were "now on the home stretch".

"We expect the new four-lane alignment will be open to traffic 24 hours a day in mid-December, before the start of the Christmas break," the spokeswoman said.

"During the weekend just gone contractors finished pavement works on the new alignment, including the final layer of asphalt and the majority of the line markings.

"The new four-lane alignment through Clayton's Gully is now open to traffic at night, although there are still lane closures during the day.

"Traffic controllers are on site to assist vehicles through the site and the speed limit is reduced to 40kmh."

The spokeswoman said motorists would soon see a "site office-free" environment up at the Gap, with a number of mini-villages occupied by the workers soon to be dismantled.

"Once the offices have been removed, work will start on the rest area at Clayton's Gully for east-bound drivers, including putting down a bitumen seal," she said.

"Work is also under way to install a guardrail, complete the remaining drainage works and carry out some landscaping."