Thanks to the efforts of hundreds of volunteers, the access road to the popular Polihale State Park in west Kaua'i has been repaired and the park is scheduled to be reopened to the public this morning.

Flooding last December damaged the road, a bridge, water system and restrooms at the beach park, which is popular among residents and visitors. Because of the damage, the state Department of Land and Natural Resources closed the park indefinitely, which angered many who frequent the park.

Residents urged the state to reopen the park on a limited basis, but the state said it lacked money to make the improvements and the park remained closed. Because of a projected $2 million budget shortfall, DLNR said it did not know when money would be available to make the necessary repairs.

But a group of volunteers got together and donated their labor, equipment and materials to fix the road and portions of the water system. The work began in March and was completed this week.

DLNR will hold a ceremony at 8 a.m. today to celebrate the park's reopening. Camping permits will be issued starting Monday.

Laura H. Thielen, DLNR chairwoman, praised the community's efforts, which the state estimated could be worth $200,000. One of the jobs involved grading four miles of roadway, and Thielen said the last time the road was graded it cost the state $90,000.

She said the project was the largest single donation of time and equipment for a state park.

"The volunteers had to bring in water for making concrete. They brought in generators to power the welders. They brought in excavators, cranes, Bobcats, cement mixers, dump trucks, graders and other equipment," Thielen said. "They even turned out to remove bulky trash and overgrown vegetation."

The volunteer effort made national headlines when it was featured earlier this month on CNN.

Bruce Pleas, a West Kaua'i activist and surfboard maker who coordinated the project, said yesterday that he was proud of the effort of businesses, community leaders and ordinary citizens.

"In these times we need to step forward," Pleas said. "The areas that you use, instead of complaining about it, just go ahead and do it."

He said it was vital to get the road fixed because of the popularity of the park and beach.

"It's the important part of Kaua'i and the West Side," Pleas said. "As it is, if Polihale isn't open, the farthest you can go out is Kekaha, and that's one mile of the 18 miles of sand beaches."