Punchbowl lanes to close five days beginning Saturday

By Scott Ishikawa
Advertiser Transportation Writer

The latest chapter of downtown roadwork starts this week.

Lane closures are set for Punchbowl Street between the H-1 Freeway off-ramp and Vineyard Boulevard as crews pave and restripe lanes along the section of street that was recently rebuilt.

Only one lane of traffic will be open in each direction along that section of Punchbowl Street from 8:30 a.m. Saturday until Aug. 23. Take an alternate route or expect a big delay.

Rod Haraga of KFC Engineering Management Inc., a firm overseeing much of the city's downtown projects, said contractor Rons Construction Corp. is trying to finish work along that section of Punchbowl by Aug. 27.

When that project is completed, a second mauka-bound lane will allow more traffic to get through the intersection of Punchbowl Street and Vineyard Boulevard. Because of limited green-light timing for mauka-bound Punchbowl Street motorists, traffic tends to back up to Beretania Street.

In other construction news:

• Starting next Monday, the two right lanes of King Street from Richards Street to Punchbowl Street near Kawaiaha'o Church will be closed as crews pour concrete to strengthen bus lanes. The section should reopen by Sept. 8.
• Work on Punchbowl between Beretania and King streets should be finished by Aug. 23.
• Installation of a 24-inch water main along King Street from Liliha Street to River Street in Chinatown is set to start in late September.