honoluluadvertiser.com

Sponsored by:

Comment, blog & share photos

Log in | Become a member
The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Sunday, September 25, 2005

Leeward motorists face lane shutdowns

Advertiser Staff

COMMUNITY PROFILE

Wai'anae, Leeward O'ahu

Population: 10,506

Median age: 28.8

Children: 3,658

65 and older: 859

Total households: 2,595

Married-couple households: 1,504

Average number of people per household: 4.04

Average family size: 4.30

Homeownership rate: 65.6

Race: White, 982, 9.3%; Asian 2,042, 19.4%; Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander, 2,864, 27.3%, Other, 44%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau

spacer spacer
spacer spacer

This week crews will begin installing long-awaited concrete barrier blocks between the Wai'anae- and Honolulu-bound lanes of Farrington Highway along the mile-long curve at Ma'ili Point.

Since 2002, the stretch between Hakimo and Kaukama roads has seen more than two dozen major accidents. Over the years, it has been the scene of many fatal and other serious head-on collisions.

Barriers separating the Wai'anae- and the Honolulu-bound lanes could serve to reduce the threat of such accidents, state Department of Transportation officials said.

Weather permitting, workers will begin installing 1,400 concrete blocks along the highway median tomorrow, said DOT officials. One lane of the highway will be closed in each direction during barrier work, which should be complete in about two weeks.

The $8 million improvement project, which officially began Aug. 26, 2004, called for restriping lanes and crosswalks, improving sidewalks in a larger area and adding more lighting. The key component was the barrier blocks.

Transportation officials said the state decided to use the same concrete fixtures as those of the H-1 Zipper Lane because they are more flexible than conventional barriers.