Kailua braces for road work
By Eloise Aguiar
Advertiser Windward O'ahu Writer
KAILUA — The city will restart year-long, multimillion-dollar work to replace sewer lines on Kalaheo Avenue in February, one of three major public works projects the community must endure in 2003.
Already under way is a $25 million sewer project for Kainehe Street and Hamakua and Keolu drives that began last summer and is expected to last 18 months. A $1.9 million project to place wires underground on Kailua Road between Oneawa and Hahani also is expected to begin next year.
The Kailua Neighborhood Board has concerns about the convergence of so much work, from seeing projects run smoothly to viable traffic plans and open communication between the contractor and residents, said chairwoman Kathy Bryant-Hunter.
"We're looking at major construction on major roads for two years, and we want to make sure all the traffic planning is coordinated so we don't have major intersections shut down concurrently," Bryant-Hunter said.
The contractor and the construction manager will present details of the $16.9 million Kalaheo project on Jan. 9 at the Kailua Neighborhood Board meeting, beginning at 7 p.m. in the Kailua District Park Multipurpose Room.
During construction, both lanes of Kalaheo — the primary north-south artery leading to Kailua Beach — from Kainui Drive to Ku'ulei Road will be closed from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday except to local traffic. In the evening, the northbound lane on Kalaheo will be open, leaving the southbound lane available to store construction equipment.
• Details on the project are available at www.kalaheosewer.com. Updates will be posted every four weeks once work begins. • Contact Nick Schiavo, construction manager with Carter Burgess of Honolulu, at 523-9696 or schiavona@c-b.com.
Traffic will be diverted to Kainalu Drive by way of Kainui Drive and Ku'ulei Road.
Project details
Bryant-Hunter said the contractor and construction manager involved the community in traffic planning, are setting up a hot line and have promised to keep people informed. "We're confident that they're going to do a good job," she said.
The work being done by Westcon Microtunneling Inc. calls for installing 4,300 feet of 48-inch sewer line from Kainui Drive to a spot between Kaluamoo and Dune Circle, said Nick Schiavo, construction manager with Carter Burgess of Honolulu.
The contractor will use microtunneling to replace existing 36-inch sewer line, which Schiavo said is about 50 years old. The new pipe should help prevent sewage spills, correct hydraulic and structural problems and minimize bypasses and overflows, the company said.
Work is scheduled to be completed in March 2004.
The project stalled in April 2000 when the previous contractor could not penetrate a strata of cemented coral material while digging a pit for boring equipment.
This time, the contractor will drill through any hard material instead of using a jack hammer, which could cause damaging vibrations, Schiavo said.
The original plan was to fix or replace 22,600 feet of sewer line from Kainui to Kailua Road and on to Aumoe Road. Eldon Franklin, assistant chief of the city Wastewater Division, said the city did not appropriate enough money this year to complete the project, but the plan ultimately will be completed.
The city terminated the original $26 million contract at a cost of about $10 million. The contractor had completed some of the work on Aumoe and Kailua roads.
Reach Eloise Aguiar at eaguiar@honoluluadvertiser.com or 234-5266.
