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H-1 closure
tomorrow to force
traffic detours

All eastbound lanes will
be closed 8 p.m. to 5 a.m.
Sunday to Thursday for
about six weeks

Get to know Captain Coneman

By Leila Fujimori
Star-Bulletin

Motorists beware.

Tomorrow night, resurfacing of a big part of the H-1 freeway will commence.

Rather than close off one or two lanes at a time, all eastbound lanes will be closed from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. Sunday to Thursday for about six weeks. All eastbound on-ramps will be closed from Puuloa Road up to University Avenue -- 11 entrance closures.

All eastbound traffic on the H-1 viaduct must exit at Nimitz Highway or Dillingham Boulevard.

All Moanalua Freeway/H-1 eastbound traffic must exit before Punchbowl Street.

Motorists can return to H-1 at the University Avenue on-ramp.

Those traveling on Pali Highway must exit on Punchbowl Street; Likelike Highway traffic will be diverted through Kalihi.

The resurfacing work will occur from Punchbowl Street to the Kapiolani Interchange.

Motorists are advised to add 15 minutes to their travel time and plan alternate routes, using Nimitz Highway, Dillingham Boulevard, Kapiolani Boulevard, Ala Moana Boulevard, King Street and School Street.

The state opted to close all eastbound lanes at once so the work could be completed more quickly, said Kazu Hayashida, state transportation director. He said the closure will also make the construction safer for workers.

The city will "increase the green time" on traffic lights on alternate routes, said city Deputy Transportation Director Joseph Magaldi Jr.

The state has been coordinating roadwork with the city, Hayashida said. "It's not as bad as it seems." Work will be stopped July 3-4 due to anticipated heavier traffic.

To keep noise levels tolerable, crews will use a steady, low-noise cold-planing method to remove existing pavement. No drilling or jackhammering will occur.

Additional day and night work on freeway guardrails, lights, parapets and median barriers will continue. During the day, work runs Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. between the Punahou Street and Kapiolani Interchange; and 9 a.m. Sunday to 5 a.m. Monday.

Hayashida said asphalt requires resurfacing every 15 years.

The state's complaint hot line is 587-2345, open until midnight. For the city's traffic cam Web page, see www.eng.hawaii.edu/Trafficam with links to state and city Web sites for updates on roadwork and traffic conditions.

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Captain Coneman is the state Transportation
Department's new H-1 freeway construction mascot.

Captain Coneman will
keep us updated on
H-1 freeway progress

Captain Coneman will soon become a familiar face and name to Hawaii residents.

The animated character is part of a $650,000 informational campaign by the state Department of Transportation to update the public on the H-1 freeway corridor construction for the next 18 months.

Federal and state funds -- 80 percent and 20 percent, respectively -- will pay for the campaign.

Because of the inconvenience to residents, "we were looking for some way to lighten it up a bit," said Marilyn Kali, state transportation spokeswoman.

For naming Captain Coneman, Eric Callanta of Ewa Beach won a trip for two to Las Vegas, including air fare and hotel accommodations, from KSSK Radio, which was to be awarded this morning on the "Perry & Price" show. Finalists received complimentary ice cream from Dave's Ice Cream.