Good news, bad news for King Street drivers
By Scott Ishikawa
Advertiser Transportation Writer
There is good news and bad news for downtown commuters dealing with the ongoing King Street roadwork.
First, the bad: Crews will shut down two lanes of King Street starting Monday to pour concrete for a new bus lane. Work is expected to last until Thanksgiving.
Now, the good: Holiday motorists will get a reprieve. It appears less likely that the major water main work on King Street — the work that is expected to really snarl traffic — will happen before the end of the year.
The downtown stretch of King Street handles nearly 30,000 vehicles a day.
Rod Haraga of KFC Engineering Management Inc., which oversees much of the city's downtown roadwork, said contractor Royal Construction Co. will shut down the two far-right lanes of King Street for the concrete lane work.
Construction will run weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. to 3:30 a.m.
The first phase on King Street extends from across the state library to Punchbowl Street. Concrete will be poured Oct. 18 and 19.
The second phase will go from Richards Street to across from the state library, with concrete work set for Oct. 29 to 31.
Concrete work along King from Punchbowl to South streets will be from Nov. 1 to 5.
Haraga said construction will not hamper the Oct. 18 Men's March Against Violence through downtown. All concrete work should be completed before the city's scheduled Honolulu City Lights display also through downtown.
Meanwhile, it's becoming less likely that water main work will start before the new year along King from Liliha to River streets in Chinatown. Work includes digging 10 feet into the road to add a new 24-inch water main.
Project contractor D&C Construction is still waiting for a street use permit from the city to begin the work, and state and city road projects traditionally take a break starting the second week of December until the new year to accommodate holiday traffic.
In applying for its work permit, D&C Construction is proposing to do all of the water main work during the evening to avoid gridlock during the day.
Until water main work is under way, crews have to hold off repaving King from Bethel to South streets.
Reach Scott Ishikawa at sishikawa@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8070.
