Host of roadway projects underway in Hilo

With construction on Kamehameha Avenue reaching an end after a year and a half of work, a host of smaller roadway projects continue in the Hilo area.

Work on Manono Street and Kapiolani Street began earlier this year. A reconstruction project on Komohana Street is set to begin this week.

The Manono Street project began Jan. 12 and is expected to be completed by the middle of next year, public works director Warren Lee said. The area between Lanikaula and Kekuanaoa is being overhauled, with sidewalks, curbs and gutters connecting to those already on Manono between Kamehameha and Piilani Street.

“(It’s) part of renovating our street systems and making it safer for bikers and pedestrians, plus taking care of drainage,” Lee said.

“It’s going to be a while because there’s a lot of traffic in that area,” he said. “We run into little issues here and there because it’s an older area.” Portions of the infrastructure, such as some sewer and water lines, are old enough they didn’t appear on drawings of the area.

A combination of county capital improvement funds and federal aid supports the project, which was contracted to Loeffler Construction Inc. at a price tag of just less than $5.1 million.

The $13.6 million Kapiolani Street extension project broke ground in the spring, and is intended to ease traffic along Kinoole Street and near the University of Hawaii at Hilo. It’s expected to wrap next spring, and will close a half-mile gap between Lanikaula and Mouhouli Street.

The Komohana reconstruction project targets the area between Waianuenue Avenue and Kukuau Street, and will upgrade traffic signals as well as replace pavement. A contract for $4.9 million was awarded to Yamada and Sons Inc. in July.

Email Ivy Ashe at iashe@hawaiitribune-herald.com.