Ask the Mayor: Why is Road Work Being Done in a Residential Area at Night?

Piʻilani Highway file photo by Wendy Osher.

Mayor Alan Arakawa answers some of the most-asked questions submitted to his office staff.

Dear Mayor:

Q: I saw the electric signs warning folks of the nighttime work being done around the Piʻilani Highway-Ohukai Road intersection. Why on Earth would there be nighttime work in a crowded residential area?

A: This is a project being conducted by the State of Hawaiʻi Departnment of Transportation, which is making these intersection improvements to add dedicated left-turn lanes from Ohukai Road onto Piʻilani Highway to help minimize traffic backups into neighboring residential streets.

HDOT understands there’s no good time for roadwork in any crowded area–day or night. Trenching work throughout the intersection is required for drainage, electrical and traffic signal modifications, and due to the high volume of traffic through the area, which includes a daily average of 33,700 vehicles on Piʻilani Highway, all trenching work is done overnight to minimize traffic impacts.

That being said, the contractors do try to get as much of the noisiest work done before midnight and proceed with lighter work overnight. Night work also helps to reduce impacts to dozens of small businesses located in neighboring commercial complexes.

HDOT sincerely appreciates the community’s patience with the night work schedule. The project is anticipated to be complete this August.

Want to Ask the Mayor?

Submit your questions about County of Maui programs, services, operations or policies to Mayor Alan Arakawa via email at [email protected], by phone at 270-7855 or by mail to 200 S. High St., 9th Floor, Wailuku, HI 96793. Questions submitted will be considered for inclusion in the Ask the Mayor column.