Sewer improvements at Queen Emma Summer Palace in Nu'uanu Valley starts Monday and traffic control measures will be implemented to minimize inconvenience to Pu'iwa Road residents and motorists, the state Department of Land and Natural Resources announced yesterday.

The state will be constructing a sewage pump station and force main to connect with the city's sewer system after closing the large capacity cesspool which currently services the restrooms at the restored summer home of Queen Emma and King Kamehameha IV located at 2931 Pali Highway, next to Nu'uanu Valley Park.

The Summer Palace, also known as Hanaiakamalama ("foster child of the moon"), will remain open to the public.

Project contractor Mega Construction plans to excavate the open field area on the Palace property and do excavation and trenching of a section of the Nu'uanu Valley Park parking lot and Pu'iwa Road for the sewer-line connection. The work will require closure of a section of the Nu'uanu Valley Park's parking lot as well as the accessible restroom at the Summer Palace.

In November, the entrance to the Nu'uanu Park's parking lot will be closed, which will affect tour bus turnarounds.

The $172,000 project is expected to be completed in late December.