All freeway lanes in the ewa-bound direction between Pali Highway and Likelike Highway will be blocked for resurfacing from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. Monday, said Transportation Director Kazu Hayashida.

The closures will continue at the same times Tuesday through Thursday.

Hayashida said the department shut down two lanes of traffic in earlier phases of the project, but got hundreds of complaints about congestion and driving times.

"We always hear from people how fast roadwork is done on the mainland, and how they close whole freeways down for construction," he said in a news release. "We've decided to try it, and we've selected the H-1 Freeway for the experiment."

The department said it believes traffic will flow "much smoother" by shutting down the freeway and rerouting traffic. "By not getting on the freeway in the first place, no one should get bogged down in the construction area," Hayashida said.

Warning signs are being installed today and police officers will be staged at various locations next week to assist.

With the lanes closed, Hayashida said, the size of construction crews can be doubled, and work time can be halved to four days.

"If all goes well with this project, we'll consider doing this on other highway jobs in the future," Hayashida said. "If it doesn't, then we'll know that too."

He said motorists should plan alternate routes using other streets.

The department said all westbound vehicles from the Hawaii Kai and Kahala areas will have to get off the H-1 by the Vineyard Boulevard offramp.

All on-ramps to the H-1 through downtown will be closed starting at 5th Avenue in Kaimuki. Other closed on-

ramps include Old Waialae Road, University Avenue, Alexander Street, Punahou Street, Lunalilo Street, Punchbowl Street, School Street and Vineyard Boulevard.

Ewa-bound motorists can enter the freeway starting at Likelike Highway, Keehi Interchange and at all on-ramps beyond that.

All Koko Head-bound lanes of the freeway will stay open as usual.

Drivers who want more information can call the H-1 Hotline at 587-2345.