Night owls and late commuters should brace for alternating traffic patterns on a section of Honoapi‘ilani Highway this coming week, the Hawai‘i Department of Transportation (HDOT) has announced. The one-lane closure will affect traffic near mile marker 14, just south of Olowalu Village, and is part of a scheduled striping work aimed at stabilizing the roadway. According to HDOT's recent blog post, the nighttime work is set for two evenings—Tuesday, September 23, and Wednesday, September 24—from 8:30 p.m. to 3:30 a.m. the following morning.
Motorists will want to plan ahead as traffic will be moderated by alternating flow, potentially leading to delays. The striping work is critical for the upcoming shift of lanes which is part of an ongoing emergency project to address the severely undermined road near the shoreline. The last closure is slated to end on Thursday, September 25, easing back into regular traffic patterns as the sun rises on Maui's western coast. Earlier in July, an emergency designation was placed on this area, expediting procurement and waiving certain permitting requirements to hasten necessary repairs.
In addition to the overnight work, HDOT officials indicated that crews would be active along the makai shoulder of Honoapi‘ilani Highway, starting from 7:30 p.m. on Monday, September 22, leading up to 7:30 a.m. the next day. Though no full lane closures are predicted for this period, lane shifts are to be expected. This preparatory endeavor is key to facilitating the safe and effective execution of the primary striping task. As for the broader scope of the project, the daytime labor will concentrate on the highway's shoulder and is projected to continue until at least January.
