Machinery breakdown snarls traffic in South Kona

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A machinery breakdown at the intersection of Mamalahoa Highway and Napoopoo Road Tuesday caused traffic delays for drivers in the area.

A machinery breakdown at the intersection of Mamalahoa Highway and Napoopoo Road Tuesday caused traffic delays for drivers in the area.

The breakdown forced a delay in excavation and paving work at the site, causing crews to work beyond scheduled working hours.

Barett Otani, County of Hawaii Department of Public Works information and education specialist, said construction crews are typically only scheduled to work between 8:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. to prevent work from coinciding with rush hour and school traffic.

Tuesday, however, a breakdown in equipment caused an interruption in roadwork.

Otani said the breakdown occurred so late in the afternoon, the remaining work couldn’t be left until Wednesday. Instead, crews needed to push work beyond the 3:30 p.m. cutoff time, pushing roadwork into rush hour traffic, causing the delays.

Otani said crews will be back to the 8:30 a.m.- to-3:30 p.m. schedule Wednesday.

He added that construction work is still on schedule to finish in November but crews are working to finish at the end of October.