By Craig T. Kojima, Star-Bulletin
Old guardrails along a segment of Kalanianaole Highway
will be replaced with new galvanized steel ones which officials
say will be more rust-resistant.

Kalanianaole
guardrail work to
take a year

Soon, lanes to town will be closed
days; later, all lanes from Hanauma to
Sandy's will close at night

By Harold Morse
Star-Bulletin

Look for a year's worth of delays and detours on Kalanianaole Highway from Hanauma Bay to Sandy Beach.

Preparation work for new guardrails will slow traffic Feb. 23, the start of daytime closures of the Honolulu-bound lanes.

The 8 a.m.-3 p.m. closings for surveying work to lay out the $6.6 million guardrail replacement and roadway project will force town-bound motorists to take a detour.

The state Transportation Department recommends allowing extra travel time for this detour through Kalama Valley.

It gets worse.

A side effect is that, starting with the March 1 replacement work, the Kalanianaole stretch between Sandy Beach and Hanauma Bay will be closed nightly in both directions.

The shutdown will be from 7:30 p.m. to 6:30 a.m. Sundays through Fridays. Only local traffic will be allowed between Lunalilo Home Road and Nawiliwili Street.

Broken-down, rusty guardrails caused concern last summer.

There was fear vehicles might go out of control and crash through the rust-weakened barriers.

Where metal guardrails were the flimsiest, some bright-orange plastic barriers filled with water were put in as a stopgap measure.

State Transportation spokeswoman Marilyn Kali recalled the state some years ago wanted to replace rusting guardrails with long-lasting concrete barriers.

But people objected that scenic views along the picturesque coast would be restricted because passers-by couldn't see through the concrete. Metal guardrails replaced the rusting ones at that time, and now the process must be repeated, Kali said.

"This time, we're doing it a little different, so hopefully it will last longer," she said, noting the new galvanized steel guardrails will be made more rust-resistant by dipping them in an epoxy solution.

The contractor has already begun some preparation work. "He's actually going to start changing the barriers on March 1," Kali said.

From this date, the work by Grace Pacific Corp. will take about a year, she said.

In addition to replacing guardrails, weakened pavement areas will be reconstructed, resurfacing will be done, and a retaining wall with drilled shafts will be built.

Signs and reflector markers will be installed, along with new pavement markings.

Beware of road repairs

Roadwork planned this week throughout Oahu:

LEEWARD OAHU

Kunia: Kunia Road near the Kunia Interchange from Kupuna Loop to Honowai Street; and the H-1 freeway Ramp 5-B and 5-A.

Honokai Hale: Malahuna Place and Loop; Paala Loop; Awaawahea Place and Way; and Waiomea Street.

Nanakuli: Farrington Highway from Piliokoe Bridge to vicinity of Aliinui Drive.

Maili: Ehu and Hakeakea streets.

Waianae: Kaukamana Street to St. John's Road; Farrington Highway at Maliona Street; and Kulaaupuni Street from Ohiohi Place to Kaukamana Street.

Makaha: Maiuu and Mahinaau roads.

NORTH OAHU

Haleiwa: Kamehameha Highway at Haleiwa Bypass Road; and Helemano-Waialua Junction to Haleiwa Beach Park.

CENTRAL OAHU

Mililani: Mililani Interchange; Ka Uka Boulevard to Lanikuhana Avenue, near Kipapa Gulch; and Kamehameha Highway from Kipapa Gulch toward Mililani.

Waipahu: Kahuamoku Place; Farrington Highway from Leoole to Awanui streets, Leoku to Paiwa streets, and Awanui Street to Waipio Point Access.

Waiawa: Waipahu Street to Waiawa Road; Waiawa Interchange; and Kamehameha Highway from Acacia Road to Honomanu Street.

Waimalu: H-1, Waimalu Viaduct to Halawa Interchange.

HONOLULU

Moanalua: Moanalua Freeway from Aiea Interchange to Moanalua Steam Bridge, from Puuloa Road to Red Hill, and from Ala Kapuna to Ala Napunani.

Salt Lake: Salt Lake Boulevard.

Kalihi: Likelike Highway from Valley View Drive to H-1 and School Street to Makuahine exit; intersection of Makuahine and Kalihi streets from Likelike Highway exit to Makuahine Street; and School Street from Jikoen Mission to Kapalama Elementary.

Liliha: Liliha Street from North King Street to Vineyard Boulevard.

Nuuanu: Pali Highway from Country Club Road to the tunnel entrance, including both roads to the lookout; Dowsett Avenue to Pali Tunnel; Waokanaka Street to Nuuanu Pali Drive; Nioilupa Drive; and Kimo Drive Bridge and Old Pali Road.

Pauoa: Star Road from Kanealii Avenue to end.

Moiliili: University Avenue and South King Street intersection.

Manoa: University Avenue between Maile Way and Coyne Street and at East Manoa Road.

St. Louis Heights: St. Louis Drive between Bertram and Oswald streets.

Palolo: Keanu Street between 8th Avenue and Sierra Drive; and 9th and 10th avenues between Keanu Street and Waialae Avenue.

Kaimuki: Sierra Drive; and 5th Avenue between Harding and Waialae avenues.

Waikiki: Kalakaua Avenue; Ohua to Kuhio avenues; and Kaiulani Triangle Minipark at intersection of Kuhio and Kaiulani avenues.

WINDWARD OAHU

Kailua: Hamakua Drive near Hahani Street; and Ilimano Street between Ilihau and Ililani streets.

Waimanalo: Flamingo Street; Ahiki Street.

EAST OAHU

None.