Whatever Happened To...
An update on past news
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Cracks delay Round Top Drive rehab
Question: What ever happened to plans to reopen Round Top Drive?
Answer: The city had hoped to reopen Round Top Drive last month barring any major delays in restoring the roadway that was covered by landslides and damaged by erosion.
The initial stabilization work is largely completed, said city spokesman Bill Brennan. However, after workers laid down pavement, they found cracks in the surface that could compromise the integrity of the roadway, he said.
Brennan said more work is needed to mitigate damage from the cracks and that a consultant is looking at ways to address the problem. The city is hoping the additional roadway improvements can be completed around the end of summer.
In the meantime, Round Top Drive will remain closed. It doesn't make any sense to open the roadway only to close it again to make the additional improvements, Brennan said.
The city closed Round Top Drive in March 2006 because heavy rains triggered four separate landslides that covered some portions of the roadway and eroded others.
A state Department of Land and Natural Resources contractor removed 27 trees and 14,000 cubic yards of cinders last summer to stabilize the mountainside. The state will pay for additional stabilization work after the city roadway is completed.
A city contractor from the mainland that specializes in soil stabilization and support systems started work in January to rebuild the foundations of the four portions of the roadway that were badly eroded. The segments are all on the hairpin turn near Maunalaha Valley where 30 families lease land from the state.
This update was written by Nelson Daranciang.
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