State: No freeway work during return to school

By Adrienne Ancheta
Advertiser Staff Writer

Get ready for the jungle.

More than 50 public and private schools and about 40,000 University of Hawai'i students will return to classes in the next two weeks, prompting the state Department of Transportation to suspend freeway lane closures from today to Aug. 29.

As part of the state's annual "Beat the School Jam" campaign with the theme "It's a Jungle Out There," Hawai'i motorists will receive some respite with the suspensions, which will provide motorists with completely operational freeways during daytime hours.

Other state roadwork taking place off the freeways will continue as scheduled. Lane closures can be expected on Harding Avenue from 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. and on the Punahou Street overpass all day. The makai-bound right lane of Punahou will be closed 24 hours with the possibility of additional closures in the mauka-bound right lane from 9 p.m. until 5 a.m.

City spokeswoman Carol Costa said city workers will support the state's campaign and contribute to its efforts. During the first few weeks of the school year, the city's traffic control center will be fully staffed, and workers will constantly monitor stoplights so adjustments can be made as needed, she said.

The annual "Beat the School" campaign, which kicked off July 23, reminds motorists to plan for increased traffic as the school year begins and to slow down in school zones.

Classes begin Thursday for many public schools and Aug. 27 for the University of Hawai'i system and Punahou. More than 110 O'ahu public schools already are in session.