The first steps of a plan to replace an aging Hilo bridge will begin this week.
Hawaii County Department of Public Works later this week will conduct a soil investigation at the Four Mile Creek Bridge on Kilauea Avenue to prepare a design for an eventual replacement bridge better suited to meet the high level of traffic in the area.
“It’s sort of like a mini geotechnical survey,” said DPW spokeswoman Sherise Kana‘e-Kane. “We need to figure out how to secure the bridge, whether the soil is thick enough to support it.”
The bridge is a century-old, single-lane structure that despite its condition supports hundreds of commuters each day traveling to and from Highway 11.
Because of its narrowness, drivers are obligated to stop at the bridge until oncoming traffic has passed, leading to frequent congestion.
After a new fire station opened on Haihai Street less than a mile away in 2017, the congestion now poses problems for emergency vehicles.
The County Council in 2021 approved a bill that would allocate $18 million to replace the bridge — $12 million of which would be provided by the state, and the remaining $6 million by the county — with a two-lane reinforced bridge. The funds also will be used to conduct a traffic study to determine whether a traffic signal should be added to the intersection of Kilauea Avenue and Haihai Street.
The county has three years to spend the funds.
According to the language of that bill, the new bridge will retain the old bridge’s historic features, while making necessary structural and safety improvements.
The soil investigation project will be from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday. Flaggers will be present to control traffic flow while crossing the bridge.
The bridge will remain open in both directions. However, traffic delays are expected, so the public is asked to plan accordingly.
Email Michael Brestovansky at mbrestovansky@hawaiitribune-herald.com.
