The state aims to shave five to 20 minutes off rush hour commutes with three H-1 Freeway projects costing a total of $155 million.

Two projects will ease 'ewa-bound traffic on weekday afternoons: adding a contraflow lane and reinforcing the shoulder from the Waiawa Interchange to Waikele off-ramp so it can be used during rush hour.

Another project will add a diamondhead-bound lane at the Middle Street merge, one of the worst bottlenecks on O'ahu.

The contraflow lane, which will be open to cars with any number of occupants, would widen the H-1 Freeway westbound in the afternoon to six lanes from five. The shoulder lane, which officials say might be used for traffic during peak afternoon hours, would make seven lanes.

"This is just one investment that we need to make," said Brennon Morioka, state Transportation Department director, at a news conference yesterday announcing the plans. "Residents have waited far too long for ... relief on their roadways."

FEDERAL FUNDING

The federal government will foot 80 percent of the bill for the projects. And in the coming legislative session, the Transportation Department will seek the rest — or about $28 million. About $3 million for the widening of the freeway at the Waiawa Interchange has already been appropriated, officials said, though work won't start until August 2010.

Legislators say despite the tough fiscal times, they are confident the projects will be funded, especially because the work will mean job creation and comes at a time when the state is looking to invest in infrastructure upgrades as a way of improving the economy.

And Gov. Linda Lingle said the projects are a bargain, when considering how they'll help residents. "What I like most is the quality of life it's going to bring to people," Lingle said, at a news conference yesterday. "It can't happen a moment too soon."

If funding does come through in the upcoming legislative session, construction on the afternoon contraflow lane would begin in January 2010, and is expected to take between 15 and 18 months. The H-1 widening project at the Middle Street merge, which will likely require land acquisition, is set to start in early 2011 and wrap up in about two years.

HEAVY COMMUTES

The projects were praised yesterday by Central and Leeward O'ahu residents and lawmakers, who said easing traffic — especially for afternoon west-bound commutes — is long overdue. "From Nanakuli to Moanalua, we're all in this together," said Dean Hozama, chairman of the Mililani Mauka/Launani Valley Neighborhood Board. "We share the H-1 corridor."

And they share the pain of heavy commutes.

The INRIX Traffic Scorecard released in October 2008 said Honolulu has the worst traffic congestion in the nation. Most of that congestion is on the H-1 Freeway, with people from the west side heading into town in the morning and going back home at night.

The report, which was released in October 2008, based its congestion analysis on a so-called travel time index, which shows the average amount of extra time it takes to travel on roadways during peak travel times, compared with off-travel hours. The massive report also ranked the Middle Street merge as the 41st worst bottleneck in the nation, out of 100.

State Rep. Marilyn Lee, whose district includes Mililani, said by far the No. 1 complaint from West O'ahu residents is traffic congestion. "I think it's going to be a huge help," Lee said, of the projects. "For the average person, this is going to be a cost savings."

The west-bound H-1 contraflow lane, which would extend for a 6.2-mile stretch from Radford Drive to the Waiawa Interchange (or the H-1/H-2 merge), could shave five to 10 minutes from afternoon commutes. Morioka conceded that time savings won't last long, because more cars are on the road every year.

Still, he said, if nothing is done traffic will only get worse.

CONTRAFLOW LANES

Morioka also said that the new contraflow lanes will be a big help in case of an evacuation, when more lanes are needed quickly in a certain direction, and will also help police better monitor the high occupancy vehicle lanes used in the morning and afternoon.

As part of the project, the state will install barriers on two freeway lanes — the existing ZipperLane and the far left lane of the H-1 Freeway west-bound. Those barriers, though they can be moved, will stay up 24 hours a day and will have "gates" for emergency access.

Once cars get into the contraflow lanes, they will not be able to get out until the contraflow ends. That means, Morioka said, police will also have an easier time spotting drivers not following the rules in HOV lanes. In the morning, the two HOV lanes will remain (one for cars with three people or more and one for those with two or more).

In the afternoon, one contraflow lane will be for cars with two or more people.

The other contraflow lane will be for general use.

The contraflow project will do away with the need for the ZipperLane and Zipmobile, which rolls out the ZipperLane for morning commutes and rolls it back after the commute is over. Not using the ZipMobile in the mornings will save the state about $1 million a year.

Morioka said the vehicle could be used locally. It could also be sold.

RELIEF AT MERGE

Meanwhile, the widening of the H-1 Freeway east-bound at the Middle Street merge could slash from 10 to 20 minutes from commutes during peak morning and afternoon periods.

Right now, it takes about 25 minutes to drive from the Middle Street merge to the Vineyard Boulevard off-ramp during rush hour. When traffic is lighter, it takes about 2 minutes to travel the stretch.

"This bottleneck has existed since the early '70s, and it's only gotten worse," Morioka said, adding the project will benefit residents and visitors.

"Our roads are often one of the first experiences of our travelers," he said.

And if tourists come in during rush hour, he said, that experience includes congestion.