StarBulletin.com

Bridge out of Wahiawa to get lights repaired


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POSTED: Thursday, October 23, 2008

Question: The Karsten Thot bridge going north out of Wahiawa to the North Shore has several lights that have been out for a long time (one is partially lit so we know it has power). I have called many times. Can you assist?

Answer: The lights on the bridge will be repaired Nov. 20, said Tammy Mori, spokeswoman for the state Department of Transportation.

The bridge will be closed to all vehicular traffic, except for emergency vehicles, between 9 p.m. and 3 a.m.

“;As soon as the complaint was brought to our attention, we filled out a complaint form and gave it to our electrical crews to investigate,”; Mori said.

We asked if there was a record of your calls and was told anyone who calls the DOT's highway hot line — 831-6714 — can get a tracking number to “;find out exactly when the issue is scheduled to be addressed.”;

The bridge is one of only three metal truss bridges in Hawaii and the only one on Oahu. It was named after Karsten Thot, a native of Germany, who came to Hawaii in 1904 and worked for Hawaiian Pineapple Co.

Q: What is the status of the bridge fronting the Arizona Memorial? I've been going to University of Hawaii football games for several years and each year am amazed that this bridge is still not fixed. What is the problem, and what is being done about it?

A: ”;We are aiming to allow traffic on the bridge by June 2009,”; said DOT spokeswoman Tammy Mori.

As we reported earlier, the much-delayed bridge replacement project is on track to finish by October 2009 (”;Kokua Line,”; April 8).

Once traffic is switched over to the new bridge, workers will need to remove and disassemble the temporary bridge and detour road, plus finish landscaping and restoring the project site, she said.

Work has been progressing steadily since it resumed in February, Mori said, although it might not be visible to motorists passing by.

“;The public may be able to see the progression after the girders and deck installation continue to build up the bridge to a higher elevation,”; she said. At that point there will be “;a better idea of what the final product will look like.”;

The bridge work initially was supposed to finish in July 2006 but had to be halted after an unidentified cable conduit across Halawa Stream was unearthed.

It took a while to determine that the Army owned the underground communications line, then to have it moved.

With more than $1 million added because of the delay, the project is now costing about $8.2 million.

Auwe

To a family in Kaneohe for parking their two big trucks, van and car on the street when they have enough parking in their driveway and carport. The trucks are parked to the very edge of the corner, making it difficult and dangerous to see oncoming traffic. Please be nice and park your trucks on your property! — Worried Neighbor

If the vehicles are creating a hazard, call police at 911. Vehicles are not supposed to be parked “;along curbsides, around corners and in channelized areas of any two intersecting streets.”;