Contract awarded for road and trail repairs in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park announced Tuesday that it has awarded a $3.3 million contract to a construction company to repair roads and trails that were damaged during the 2018 eruption of Kilauea.

Hawaii-based construction company Jas W. Glover Ltd. was awarded a $3,298,800 contract to repair sections of park paths that have been closed since May 2018, when the park was rocked by thousands of earthquakes each day.

Some of the areas slated for repair include Crater Rim Drive and Trail between Kilauea Military Camp and Kilauea Overlook; Waldron Ledge and Crater Rim Trail between Volcano House and Kilauea Iki; a five-mile section of Hilina Pali Road between Kulanaokuaiki Campground and the Hilina Pali Overlook; Chain of Craters Road; a section of pavement near the entrance station; and a road servicing the park’s water-catchment system.

Work is expected to begin by mid-February, with an estimated completion date this summer.

The money for the contract comes from several federal funds, including the Federal Highway Administration’s Emergency Relief for Federally Owned Roads Program, the Supplemental Appropriations for Disaster Relief Act of 2019, and the Federal Lands Transportation Program.

A stretch of Chain of Craters Road between the Puhimau Crater parking area and Hilina Pali Road is expected to be closed for up to three weeks during construction, but no dates have been set yet.

“We’re very excited to see this project moving forward. There’s been a lot of planning and preparation to get to this point,” said park acting superintendent Rhonda Loh in a statement. “When complete, the road and trail repairs will restore access to some truly spectacular views and unique backcountry experiences. We thank the public for their patience as we continue with park disaster recovery efforts.”