Posted at 1:59 p.m., Wednesday, June 13, 2007
Cleanup to begin on Hilo road closed since earthquake
Associated Press
HILO, Hawai'i — Hawai'i County crews plan to clear debris from a small stretch of Old Laupahoehoe Road in North Hilo that has been closed since the October 2006 earthquakes.Extensive landslides caused by the temblors covered a one-mile stretch of the roadway, possibly causing permanent damage. The cleanup is needed to assess whether the pedestrian walkway will ever open.
Special equipment will be used to remove the soil that blocks the narrow winding road to the ocean, said Bruce C. McClure, director of the Department of Public Works.
McClure said the road may be deemed unstable after the debris is removed. A study will determine the road's future.
The road was originally for vehicle traffic, but has been used as an unofficial scenic trail for pedestrians in recent years.
The cleanup is expected to begin next week and could take up to five months to complete. The Federal Emergency Management Administration will pay 75 percent of the estimated $172,000 to clear the roadway.
