The Hawaiʻi Department of Transportation (HDOT) has announced that the Wailua Plantation bridge, also known as the Mayor Bryan J. Baptiste Memorial Bridge, will be closed from 9 p.m. on June 23 to 5 a.m. on June 24. According to HDOT, this overnight closure will allow contractors to relocate equipment and reset their work area for the next phase of the bridge's repair project. During the closure, traffic will be rerouted to the mauka Wailua Bridge, which will serve to alternately accommodate one lane of northbound and one lane of southbound traffic.
The official statement from HDOT details that the upcoming works are to install scour protection and to also reinforce the bridge's structural base. The 424-foot-long bridge is undergoing a comprehensive repair job expected to wrap up by December. Drivers are encouraged to be proactive in planning for additional travel time or to seek out alternative routes to avoid delays.
HDOT is working to keep the community informed and minimize disruptions. Variable message boards will be posted along Kūhiō Highway to alert drivers about the closure. For those seeking further information on the impact of the pending project, HDOT provides weekly updates on scheduled lane closures across Kauaʻi at their dedicated roadwork website.
