The state has been given final health and environmental approvals for its $18.4 million Pu'uloa Road improvement project in Salt Lake. The contractor will start the 22-month job July 25.

"I know two years is a long time, but it should look really good when it is over," said state Department of Transportation spokesman Scott Ishikawa. "The area is really in need of a face-lift."

Ishikawa said the major project is the only way to address long-standing problems on the patchwork road, which in addition to the potholes, is dotted with mini-lakes on the dirt shoulder when it rains.

"Before the H-1 viaduct, everybody used to take Pu'uloa Road to get to the airport," he said. "Once the viaduct was built, it became a forgotten road."

Pu'uloa Road from Nimitz Highway to Salt Lake Boulevard will be widened and for the first time will have proper drainage and lighting, bicycle lanes and sidewalks. A center divider lane will allow drivers to turn outside the flow of traffic and designated left turn lanes will be added at busy intersections.

At present, cars parked on the shoulder are frequently sideswiped by vehicles trying to avoid other cars that have stopped to make a left turn.

The final improvements will include resurfacing, restriping, a new parking lot and landscaping. Work is expected to be completed in June 2007.

Construction and the widening will eliminate street parking, which is critical to businesses in the area. Vehicles of about 200 area workers and customers pack the roadside every day.

Ishikawa said a paved, 80-stall parking lot will be built on the 'Ewa side of the road, but it will not be available until near the completion of the project.

"We wanted a win-win situation where we would have parking, but in an area that is safe," he said.

Sarah Coghlan, a saleswoman at the stone product company Marmol HI, said even though her company has a customer parking lot, the employees are worried about where to park during construction.

"If the parking lot is not open, I don't know where we are going to go," she said.

Grant Tanimoto, chairman of the Aliamanu/Salt Lake/Foster Village Neighborhood Board, said the situation is similar to Salt Lake Boulevard, where much of the free street parking was lost after road improvements were made.

"It might not be safe to have people parking along the renovated highway," he said.

Tanimoto said there is no question that the project is long overdue.

"We are happy it is moving forward," he said. "It is like a battle zone with the potholes."

He said residents will put up with the long construction time and contra-flow of traffic to have a better, safer road.

"That is the price you pay for roadwork," he said. "While the construction is going on, people will complain. But when it's done, they will be happy."