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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Monday, July 30, 2001

Work to close lane, add to congestion on Punchbowl

By Scott Ishikawa
Advertiser Transportation Writer

Starting Friday, Punchbowl Street, which is already a mess, will be a full-fledged nightmare.

The city will shut down the right makai-bound lane of Punchbowl between Miller and Beretania streets from 8:30 a.m. Friday to the afternoon of Aug. 6 for concrete work.

Rod Haraga of KFC Engineering Management Inc., a firm overseeing much of the city's downtown roadwork, said workers are pouring the concrete lane to hold up better under bus traffic.

Haraga said one lane will be closed during the weekend to allow three days for the concrete to cure. Royal Contracting Co. is handling the work.

The work will choke the flow of traffic on one of the main routes in and out of downtown.

The work comes on top of the widening of Punchbowl near Vineyard Boulevard, and drainage improvements near Kawaiaha'o Church near the intersection of Punchbowl and King streets.

A lane closure was required as workers prepared for the pouring of concrete at a construction site on Punchbowl Street between Miller and Beretania streets.

Bruce Asato • The Honolulu Advertiser

Adding to the gridlock are expected lane closures along Punchbowl Street between King and Beretania streets starting Aug. 8.

"It's going to get pretty tight starting Friday," Haraga said.

Coming up on the construction horizon is a Board of Water Supply project to install a 24-inch water main along King Street, from Liliha Street to River Street in Chinatown, followed by repaving of the road.

Later in the year, King Street from Bethel to South Street will be repaved at night.

The stretch of King Street through downtown handles nearly 30,000 vehicles a day.