Moloka‘i drivers, get ready for some short-term hassle—but hopefully long-term improvements. According to the Hawai‘i Department of Transportation, there will be brief lane closures this week as crews assess the pavement quality across several state highways on the island. This necessary evil kicks off Tuesday, Dec. 17, and runs through Wednesday, Dec. 18.
The work is all about keeping the roads safe and comfy to drive on. Teams will be out there nabbing cylindrical samples of asphalt to check the thickness, density, and overall state of the pavement. Hawai‘i Department of Transportation says these samples are going to inform the agency's pavement management program. That's good news for anyone who's tired of dodging potholes. But, fair warning: during these check-ups, one lane may be out of commission for up to 45 minutes. Also, this is all happening between 8:30 a.m. and 3 p.m., so you might want to time your coffee runs accordingly.
Dec. 17 gives Maunaloa Highway (Route 460) some attention with lane disruptions pegged at mile markers 13.6, 8.8 near Hauaka Avenue, 8.1 near Hua‘ai Road, and 5.9 by the Molokai Humane Society. Farrington Avenue (Route 480) and Kalae Highway (Route 470) also get a check at mile markers 1.35 and 3.2, respectively. On Dec. 18, the focus shifts to segments of Kamehameha V Highway (Route 450), with work zones slated from mile marker 27.2 at Ierusalem Hou Church all the way down to 0.97 near ‘Olo‘olo Place on Maunaloa Highway, as detailed by the Hawai‘i Department of Transportation.
Drivers should keep an eye out for traffic controls and make sure to buzz by the work areas with care. Hawai‘i Department of Transportation urges everyone to obey all traffic controls and to use caution when driving around workers.
