Queen Kaahumanu Highway widening to resume

KAILUA-KONA — After threats to historic trails halted construction on Queen Kaahumanu Highway late last year, the Hawaii Department of Transportation announced Thursday plans to resume the second phase of the highway widening project beginning next week.

In July, the department identified possible site breaches to the Mamalahoa Trail and the “Trail to the Sea,” both listed on the State Inventory of Historic Places. The breaches were confirmed in subsequent months and work on the project was temporarily shut down.

The problem arose due to an oversight in determining the “potential area of effect” (APE) to archaeologically significant sites because of construction. The area defined failed to account for right-turn lanes required as part of the widening project, and because of that, small sections of each trail were breached by construction equipment.

According to a DOT release, the redesign between Kealakehe Parkway and Hulikoa Drive to account for the mistake is nearly finished, and the department believes the issue involving the APE will be resolved in coming weeks. This, the release stated, should allow several other portions of the project to resume promptly.

The work to be taken up Monday will include excavation of retaining walls near the Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park, as well as foundation installation of traffic signals, interconnects and street lights. Other immediate initiatives include several conduit installations on the project’s north end and “reclaimed water utility installation and testing.”

After halting the project, DOT spokespeople initially projected a revised construction end date of November 2018, pushed back 14 months from the original projection of September 2017. Work began on phase two in September 2015.

Thursday’s news may mean a quicker end to traffic headaches for Kona’s daily commuters, but the department has not yet released a revised estimate for completion of phase two, which will widen the highway to four lanes between Kealakehe Parkway and Keahole Airport Road.

“Mahalo for your patience, and we look forward to a successful and safe construction project,” the DOT release read. “Future announcements will be issued as work progresses.”