With the finish line in view, work on Kalanianaole Avenue is on target to be finished by the end of the year, according to the Hawaii County Department of Public Works.
Workers with Nan Inc., which was awarded an $11.6 million contract for the project in March, have moved to the makai side of the street after finishing the mauka lane on Tuesday, Sept. 6.
The traffic pattern remains the same, with cars heading toward Keaukaha being diverted to Kamehameha Avenue, and will remain that way until the end of construction.
“After finishing the big concrete pours, Nan will tie-in the driveways along the road and then shore it up before reopening both lanes,” said Sherise Kana‘e-Kane, DPW’s information and education specialist. “Once the permanent striping is painted, the road will be completed.”
The project began and was supposed to be completed in 2018, and was intended to widen about a mile of roadway from Kanoelehua Avenue to Kuhio Street, allowing for an additional sidewalk, a paved shoulder, bicycle lanes and a turn lane.
“We do plan to host a blessing for the community at the end of the project, we’re just not sure exactly what day it will be,” Kana‘e-Kane said. “We’re excited about the progress and ready to see the road complete.”