Posted on: Monday, May 9, 2005

Sewer work will affect traffic in Hawai'i Kai

By Suzanne Roig
Advertiser East Honolulu Writer

HAWAI'I KAI — Crews will be working on more sewer pipes in the community starting this summer as part of a 10-year project to upgrade sewer lines and manholes.

In some areas along Lunalilo Home Road, intersecting streets will be closed while workers reline old, corroded pipes beneath the street.

Many of the pipes are at least 30 years old and corrosion is a big problem, Lee Mansfield, manager of Hawai'i-American Water Co., told the Hawai'i Kai Neighborhood Board meeting. Hawai'i-American Water Co. is a privately owned sewer company that serves Hawai'i Kai and parts of Kuli'ou'ou.

"We anticipate this method will make the pipes last awhile," Mansfield said. "We already did some sections on Lunalilo Home Road last year because parts of the pipes were missing. We shouldn't have to rehab these pipes for another 20 years."

While the pipes are being relined, crews will have above-ground sewer pipes on the road, Mansfield said. Residents along Lunalilo Home Road were sent notices alerting them to the construction and that some of it will occur at night at the request of the Hawai'i Kai Neighborhood Board.

Residents worry, however, that the project will cause worse traffic snarls on a road that is jammed up mornings and late afternoons. Neighborhood board member Manny Menendez suggested the company erect mobile warning signs for residents before each of the five segments are started.

"It looks like this is going to be a major inconvenience for Hawai'i Kai come this fall," Menendez said.

Mansfield said the project is in five segments, and that some of the work will occur at night, but not every night:

• The first is scheduled to begin in July. Work from Anapalau Street to Kaiser High School is expected to take about two months. Traffic will be diverted and some lanes will be closed, but residents should still be able to get into and out of their homes, he said.

• In September, crews will begin on the second leg of sewer pipe work, from Kaiser High School to Wailua Street. That's expected to take about three weeks, he said.

• The third section will be the most challenging, Mansfield said, and will require blocking off Ahukini Street. The work will be along Lunalilo Home Road from Wailua to Ahukini streets.

• The fourth section is from Hawai'i Kai Drive to Kalanipu'u Street. Work will begin in October and take about three weeks, he said.

• The fifth section will be on Lunalilo Home Road again, around the intersection of Hawai'i Kai Drive, and take about three weeks. Work will begin in November and require some lane closures.

Reach Suzanne Roig at sroig@honoluluadvertiser.com or 395-8831.

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