Posted on: Saturday, September 11, 2004

Tunnel's temporary closing postponed

By Mike Leidemann
Advertiser Transportation Writer

A planned 30-day closing of Wilson Tunnel set for this month has been postponed for about six months, the state Transportation Department announced yesterday.

The department had planned to close both Kane'ohe-bound lanes of the tunnel on Likelike Highway this month to pour and cure a new concrete roadbed.

Instead, construction crews will continue working five nights a week inside the tunnel until next spring, then do the concrete work, DOT spokesman Scott Ishikawa said. The delay is because construction crews found they have to do far more drainage improvement work inside the tunnel than initially planned, Ishikawa said.

While the drainage work continues, the Kane'ohe-bound lanes will remain closed from 8 p.m. to 4 a.m. Sundays through Thursdays. Windward-bound motorists will have to use the Pali Highway or H-3 Freeway during those hours.

However, the DOT has reversed an earlier decision and now says it will allow limited contraflowing on Likelike Highway during the period the tunnel is shut. "We've come up with a plan to cross (Kane'ohe-bound) traffic over to the other tunnel during the afternoon rush hour," Ishikawa said.

The afternoon contraflow means commuters traveling to Kane'ohe in the afternoon will have exclusive use of Likelike Highway. Drivers headed to Honolulu against the prevailing traffic flow will have to find other routes, he said.

At all other times, Likelike will be closed to Kane'ohe-bound traffic.

Once the concrete has dried in the tunnel, after 30 days, DOT plans to reverse the process and close the town-bound tunnel for 30 days and allow morning contraflow on the other side of the highway.

Work on the project, originally estimated to cost $13 million, is now expected to be completed late next year, Ishikawa said. Officials have not yet determined how much the extended work period will add to the cost of the project, he said.

Reach Mike Leidemann at mleidemann@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-5460.