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By Dennis Oda, Star-Bulletin
There were hardly any lines at the Makiki Post Office
yesterday, probably due to construction making entry
more difficult. The parking lot was closed, so patrons
had to park in the lot across the street. Roadwork on
Oahu will stop next Friday, then resume Jan. 2.

Construction
cancels trips to
Makiki post office

Makiki residents have
had to dodge forklifts, trucks
and ditches for a month

---

By Janine Tully
Star-Bulletin

Mailing holiday packages by itself can be stressful, but when road construction adds to the chore, the experience is enough to ruin almost anyone's Christmas spirit.

For nearly a month now, Makiki residents have had to dodge forklifts, trucks and ditches to reach their neighborhood post office. The equipment and work are part of the state Department of Transportation's H-1 Corridor upgrade project, which includes the Lunalilo offramp and some side streets.

"It's very inconvenient," said area resident Ha Kyu Hyun as she stood in line to mail her letters. "It's hard to go in and out."

Kevin Wada of Punchbowl also found parking difficult. "There's only one way in and out of the parking lot," he said.

To access the station during the road construction, you have to take Piikoi Street and turn left on the Lunalilo offramp, said Makiki Post Office customer service supervisor Wendell Saito.

But there is good news for postal customers and anyone else affected by the large number of road construction projects around the island: DOT spokeswoman Marilyn Kali said the state will stop all roadwork on Oahu next Friday "as a Christmas gift to the community."

Work will resume Jan. 2. The department has avoided closing lanes during the two busiest weeks in December for the last 10 years, Kali said. "It's a tradition with us."

As for work around the Makiki post office, Kiewit Pacific Co. project manager Brad Kirkpatrick said work on waterlines may be completed next week, but more activity, including the building of gutters, is scheduled for next month. Hawaiian Dredging Construction is also working on the project, retrofitting the Lunalilo viaduct.

"The timing is not the greatest for this time of the year, but the project has to be done," Saito said. "The construction company has been particularly accommodating in allowing customers to get into the parking lot."

He said people have been avoiding the Makiki post office, probably going to the Waikiki or Ala Moana stations, since construction started about a month ago. There has been a decrease in customers during a time when it is usually busy, he said.

However, Saito believes the demand for service will increase as the Dec. 15 deadline for sending priority mail approaches. Weekday hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The station extended its Saturday hours from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

As for parking, Saito said there is ample parking available. People can enter the main lot from Lunalilo or can park in a lot across the street on Pensacola. Police are helping motorists on Lunalilo turn left into the main parking lot, he said.