Big Island reopens storm-hit highway
By Hugh Clark
Advertiser Big Island Bureau
HILO, Hawai'i — The Big Island's main Hawai'i Belt Road was reopened yesterday after a huge landslide had closed it for nearly 19 hours and disrupted thousands of motorists.
Dozens of state highways workers and two private contractors worked to remove tons of debris from the roadway. The highway was closed at about 4 p.m. Tuesday during heavy rains over East Hawai'i.
The road was partially reopened shortly after dawn, but both lanes were not in service until about 10:45 a.m. yesterday.
Motorists were turned back at two points on the highway, and the Red Cross opened shelters for stranded travelers at Clem Akina Park in Pu'u'eo and at Honomu Gym. Traffic yesterday was backed up for miles on either end.
"It was a full traffic bottleneck," said civil defense administrator Bill Davis.
The debris was temporarily stacked on an inbound passing lane between Honomu and Pepe'ekeo. The rocks and debris will be removed later.
Big Island state highway engineer Stanley Tamura said the road blockage was one of six cleared during Tuesday's storm.
The road was closed at two points near Kolekole Beach Park, about one mile north of Honomu, near the Laupahoehoe and Maulua gulches on the Hawai'i Belt Road, as well as a stretch of the Akoni Pule State Highway in North Kohala.
Tuesday's rainfall ranged from more than 4 inches on some parts of the Hamakua and Hilo coastline to 2 inches or more in most eastern sectors of the island.
Rain continued to fall over the eastern portion of the island yesterday and a flash-flood watch was in effect until 9 last night for North and East Hawai'i.
Meanwhile, a fire that burned for 6 1/2 hours Tuesday at a self-service storage facility in Kealakekua in West Hawai'i caused more than $1.5 million in damage, officials said.
The cause of the blaze at the two-story Kona Self Storage site was under investigation. One firefighter was treated for smoke inhalation.
The fire forced the cancellation of classes at the University of Hawai'i-West Hawai'i Center. Several businesses were forced to close Tuesday and nearby residents had to evacuate.
Staff writer Curtis Lum contributed to this report.
