HDOT Update on Honoapi‘ilani Realignment & Improvements at Keawe St

The Hawaiʻi Department of Transportation provided an update today on the Lahaina Bypass Phase 1B-2, the Honoapiʻilani Highway Improvements – Keawe Street to Kapunakea Street, and the associated project, “Traffic Signal Modernization at Various Locations.”

The section of road has been a point of contention among local government leaders and department officials.  State Rep. Angus McKelvey called on the governor to intervene, saying it would lead to negative impacts including more traffic congestion in West Maui.  Officials with the Department of Transportation defended their stance in carrying out the project saying the criticism directed toward the department is “ill-informed.”  Rep. McKelvey fired back , reasserting his plea to slow changes so that the community can have a chance to weigh in on plans to the Keawe Street area of the Honoapiʻilani Highway.

The state DOT provided the following updates:

PC: HDOT/Hawaiian Dredging

Honoapiʻilani Highway Improvements – Keawe Street to Kapunakea Street

Work on the Honoapiʻilani Highway Improvements – Keawe Street to Kapunakea Street project began on Tuesday, Jan. 16, 2018. This project was designed to account for anticipated traffic volumes heading onto and coming off of the Lahaina Bypass at the interim northern terminus at Keawe Street. Work hours are currently from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. but may be adjusted if heavy traffic is observed.

Transportation officials say that currently field observations at the job site have been that traffic on Keawe Street and this portion of Honoapiʻilani Highway is localized to the Keawe Street area. The contractor is adjusting the sequence of work to account for traffic backups by working in the lane opposite of peak traffic and stopping the lane closure when possible.

PC: Hawaii DOT.

Last week the contractor completed saw cutting the pavement for trenching and surveyed the sidewalk and locations for the new traffic signal control boxes. In the coming month the contractor will be trenching and installing conduit and backfill for each leg of the intersection.

When work begins on the Keawe Street leg of the intersection, the roadwork associated closure may be conducted at night to mitigate traffic congestion. Roadwork associated closures for the upcoming week will continue to be posted on the HDOT website at http://hidot.hawaii.gov/highways/roadwork/

The estimated completion date of the project is Summer 2018; however, HDOT and the contractor have committed to opening the free right turn and restriping the Mauka thru lane at the Honoapiʻilani Highway and Keawe Street intersection in time for the opening of Lahaina Bypass Phase 1B-2 in March.

Lahaina Bypass Phase 1B-2

As mentioned in last week’s statement on the requests to stop work on this project and associated projects, the Lahaina Bypass Phase 1B-2 is approximately two-thirds completed. Work completed last week includes: asphalt paving of the Southern Connector road; implementation of a detour at the bypass intersection with Hōkiokio Place for removal of the temporary asphalt pavement on the bypass; continued embankment construction of the bypass from Punakea Overpass to Hōkiokio Place; concrete pours for pavement at the bypass’s intersection with Kai Hele Kū Street; and, seeding and mulching of excavated areas south of Launiupoko Stream.

Work scheduled for the coming week includes: concrete placement for Makai side of the Launiupoko Stream box culvert roof; asphalt paving on the north half of Kai Hele Kū Street; the beginning of utility relocations and removal of asphalt pavement on Hōkiokio Place; concrete placement for the Punakea Street barrier railing under the Punakea Overpass; continuation of concrete pours at the bypass’s intersection with Kai Hele Kū Street; and continuation of seeding and mulching of the excavated areas south of Launiupoko Stream.

Traffic Signal Modernization at Various Locations

HDOT is also modernizing traffic signal systems at all 80 existing signals on Maui to allow connectivity between signals and to set up a cloud-based Advanced Traffic Management System. The ATMS consists of controllers, a travel time system, cellular communications, conflict monitor units, and system monitors to enable HDOT to remotely optimize traffic signal timing on Maui.

The Traffic Signal Modernization project was awarded on Jan. 17, 2018. The two new traffic signals on the bypass will be integrated into the ATMS.