The first two days of rush-hour traffic on a new one-mile bypass on H-1 Freeway went smoothly, raising hopes that the six-month rerouting won't cause too many traffic headaches.

The state Department of Transportation brought the bypass online over the weekend but Monday was the first day to test workday traffic on the system between Kunia and Makakilo. The bypass is necessary to allow construction of two new bridges that will accommodate the upcoming freeway interchange for the North-South Road. The North-South Road is expected to provide relief for 'Ewa and Kapolei motorists.

With traffic counts showing a daily average of about 105,800 trips in either direction in 2006, people were expecting problems with the new bypass but they didn't materialize.

Residents traveling the new route praised the transition — for now.

"I anticipated that it was going to be somewhat chaotic ... but it's rather seamless," Hanalei Aipoalani, from Nanakuli, said before yesterday's evening rush hour. "During peak traffic hours I did not see any accidents or stray cars because they did not know where to go."

Aipoalani, a member of the Nanakuli-Ma'ili Neighborhood Board, said he is optimistic that the project will go well and traffic won't be any worse because of the bypass. Still, he said it was too early to really know.

Coming off the freeway from Wai'anae, drivers have to slow down and jog to the right to get on the bypass and repeat the same move when returning from town. The DOT has hired special-duty police officers to man both ends of the bypass 24-7 for a week to assist with any problems, said Tammy Mori, DOT spokeswoman.

"Overall it's smooth sailing," Mori said yesterday, also before evening rush hour. "We don't have any reports of any accidents or any problems from our guys over there and from the police department."

The transition from the freeway to the bypass took place over the weekend and that caused some backup as barriers were moved and only one lane was open during the move. But by 4:30 Monday morning everything was in place for commuter traffic, she said.

The bypass, like the highway, has three lanes, but there are differences, including a curve in the road, slower speed limit and inability to change lanes while on the bypass.

Mike Golojuch, of Makakilo, said drivers seem to adjust well to the bypass and it was easier than having construction on the road and having to go around it.

"I found it to be very good to use and easy to follow," said Golojuch, a member of the Makakilo/Kapolei/Honokai Hale Neighborhood Board. "I'm sure somebody for the first time might have been a little surprised but after that first time, it's pretty good."

While everyone is praising the system now, the real test will come when school begins, said Patty Teruya, a Wai'anae resident.

Drivers have to slow down to get on the bypass and the lanes are narrower, but it seems to be working OK, said Teruya, chairwoman of the Nanakuli-Ma'ili Neighborhood Board.

"We'll finally see how that works when the whole school system gets back," she said. "We'll finally see the entire impact."