Construction crews this week began work on new acceleration and deceleration lanes at the entrance to the University of Hawaii at Hilo’s Agricultural Farm Laboratory, located near mile marker 6 on Highway 11. ADVERTISING Construction crews this week began work
Construction crews this week began work on new acceleration and deceleration lanes at the entrance to the University of Hawaii at Hilo’s Agricultural Farm Laboratory, located near mile marker 6 on Highway 11.
The project is intended to facilitate safer entrance and exit to the farm, according to the UH-Hilo facilities planning and construction project description. The farm is part of the UH-Hilo College of Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resource Management and comprises 110 acres.
Lanes will be added to the Hilo-bound and Keaau-bound lanes of the highway.
Isemoto Contracting Co. Ltd. received the university contract for $3.4 million. The project cost has since increased by about $100,000 because crews found unsuitable fill material at the site.
That discovery also added two months to the initial construction duration. Work is expected to be complete by June 2017.
“The contractor has been on-site working with appropriate forces and resources every day that weather allows,” UH spokesman Dan Meisenzahl said in an email.
Construction start was also delayed by a month because of a moratorium on tree removal during Hawaiian hoary bat mating season.
Project approval was granted by the state Department of Transportation Highways Division. The project cost also includes installing new LED street lights, guard rails, new signs, runoff and erosion control measures and landscape.
Email Ivy Ashe at iashe@hawaiitribune-herald.com.
