Drive Time
Prepare for Punchbowl traffic nightmare

By Scott Ishikawa
Advertiser Transportation Writer

If you didn't read yesterday's Advertiser about Punchbowl Street construction, here's a reminder: Avoid Punchbowl Street starting Friday if you can.

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

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

Haraga said the Punchbowl lane will be shut down over the weekend to allow three days for the concrete to cure. Royal Contracting Co. is handling the work.

Add to that the city's widening of Punchbowl Street from the H-1 Freeway exit to Vineyard Boulevard, and drainage improvements near KawaiaHa'o Church near the intersection of Punchbowl and King streets, and city officials are advising drivers to look for alternate routes.

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

Haraga said all the Punchbowl work should be completed by September.

But even after that's done, downtown traffic is expected to get worse before it gets better. The year-long King Street project will begin this fall, with a water main project from Liliha Street to River Street in Chinatown, followed by repaving of the road.

Q. What work is being done along Punchbowl Street and when will it finally be over?

A. Haraga said there are three Punchbowl Street projects:

• Resurfacing from Beretania Street to King Street, which should be done by mid-August.

• Widening of Punchbowl from Vineyard Boulevard to Lusitana Street to run until late August.

• Resurfacing from Vineyard to Beretania, which will finish in late September.

Q. Is any other Punchbowl Street work planned?

A. A fourth phase to widen Punchbowl from King Street to Ala Moana Boulevard, but that is still in the design phase.

Q. What's the timetable for the monster King Street project?

A. The Board of Water Supply is awaiting a permit to install the water main along King, projected to begin this fall.

"Until the water main work is completed, we can't start the overall road resurfacing," Haraga said.

Working hours for the King Street project will be 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and generally from 7:30 p.m. to 4:30 a.m. Road planing and other noisy work will be performed during the day, and asphalt resurfacing will be done at night.

No more than two lanes of King Street will be closed at any time during the day to minimize traffic disruptions.