An underground power outage has knocked out traffic signals at six major intersections across Waikīkī, forcing Honolulu Police officers into the street to direct traffic and help keep motorists and pedestrians safe. The outage began around noon Saturday, according to Hawaiian Electric, and no restoration estimate was available when the outage was reported.
Honolulu Police laid out the affected intersections in a traffic alert posted to X: Kalākaua Boulevard and Ala Wai Boulevard, Kalākaua Avenue and Niu Street, McCully Street and Ala Wai Boulevard, Ena Road and Kalākaua Avenue, Ala Moana Boulevard and Kalākaua Avenue, and Kalākaua Avenue and Pau Street. Honolulu Police
said a major underground power outage was affecting multiple intersections, listing the six locations. The alert added that officers are directing traffic and that drivers should use caution and expect delays.
Hawaii News Now reported that police first responded to a traffic light outage at Kalākaua Avenue and Niu Street around 11:30 a.m. Friday, one of the six intersections listed in the police alert. The station reported that HPD officers were sent to assist with traffic control while crews worked to restore power, and that they would remain on scene until repairs were complete.
No Timeline Yet for Restoring Power
Police have given no current estimated restoration time for the outage, according to their own alert, and the station's report similarly noted that a timeline for restoration was not available. Officers have asked the public to drive with caution and avoid the area while restoration efforts continue, per the same account. Honolulu Police separately urged drivers to use extra caution, reduce speed, and follow officers' directions, while also advising motorists to allow extra travel time and consider alternate routes.
Not Waikīkī's First Signal Scare
This is not the first time underground electrical trouble has snarled Waikīkī's grid or its traffic lights. In one earlier incident, KITV reported that officials found electrical outages around McCully Street and Kalākaua Avenue, Ala Moana Boulevard, and Hobron Lane, tied to planned emergency repairs on a Hawaiian Electric electrical vault that were expected to run from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. In a separate outage reported on June 18, about 1,300 customers in the Waikīkī area were without power at 3:10 p.m., and by 6:10 p.m. a majority of those affected had their power restored, according to KITV.
It remains unclear how Saturday's outage compares to those past incidents in scope or cause, since Honolulu Police have not released additional details beyond the six affected intersections. For now, crews are working to resolve the outage while officers hold their posts at the darkened intersections, directing motorists and pedestrians through one of the busiest tourist corridors in the state.
