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By Ken Ige, Star-Bulletin
This road on the town side of Wilson Tunnel is a
City and County access road.
Whilst rocketing through Wilson Tunnel toward Honolulu, Leilani Sumajit can't help but notice a road that doubles back from Likelike Highway to above the tunnel. "I always wonder," she writes, "Wat dat?"
The two legs of the tunnel --named for former Honolulu mayor Johnny Wilson -- opened in 1960 to the huzzahs of Windward residents. A single tunnel opened in the mid-'50s. It's 2,770 feet long and took more than a decade to complete. Unlike the brief, rocky interruptions of the Pali tunnels, a good portion of the half-mile length of the Wilson Tunnel is bored through loose, muddy earth. Steel jacket formers, buffered with tons of injected concrete, keep the tunnel in shape in these stretches. Even so, in 1954, the sloughing soil caved in and five workers were killed, two injured.
On the Windward side of the tunnel, there was an office complex built for tunnel maintenance; it had big picture windows with a splendid view of Kaneohe, plus a pull-over where visitors could enjoy the view. Thanks to automation and speeding cars, the office is deserted and walled up, and the pull-over blocked off.
But we're concerned with the the mystery area on the town side. Seems the tunnel is so long it requires giant ventilation engines, and these are housed in a modest structure on the mountainside. That's where the road goes. Occasionally the City and County uses the parking lot to store government vehicles.
The road to the building used to be open to adventurous motorists, but there wasn't a lot to see. Gates and locks have been added to keep the public out, though, as well as street lights so government employees can find their way in the dark. We assume there still isn't much to see.
Curious about something you've seen? Ask us: WatDat?, Honolulu Star-Bulletin, P.O. Box 3080, Honolulu, HI 96802, fax at 523-7863 or e-mail at features@starbulletin.com.
The shows, Na Lei Hulu I Ka Wekiu's debut in Hawaii, will feature kahiko and 'auana hula as well as a new style Makuakane has developed called hula mua, which combines non-Hawaiian music with traditional dance.
"The Natives are Restless" portrays Hawaiian people through the missionary period; the second half of the performance will include the halau's signature pieces.
Shows begin at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $18 and go on sale Tuesday. Information: 528-0506.
Sneak previews of UHM's kabuki production of "Summer Festival: Mirror of Osaka" also will be presented at each event. All begin at 7 p.m. at the center.
The voice of kabuki: Feb. 8, Room 102; Dr. James Brandon, production director, and Julie Iezzi, assistant director, translator and vocal coach.
Dance and movement: Feb. 15, Room 203; Gertrude Tsutsumi, principal choreographer, and Howard Asao, assistant choreographer.
Music: March 7, Room 102; Dr. Ricardo Trimillos, musical director.
Registration at least one week in advance is requested at 945-7633or by email at jcch@lava.net. Cost is $5 for each session. Information: http://www.jcch.com.
Information on UH kabuki productions: 956-7655.
