GENEVIEVE A. SUZUKI / GSUZUKI@STARBULLETIN.COM
The city's sewer reconstruction project along Hamakua Drive in Kailua has forced Big City Diner and Foodland employees to find alternative parking spots.
Sewer project The city's $22.9 million sewer-repair project along Hamakua Drive stinks in more ways than one, according to Kailua shop managers who say the stench and other disruptions are hurting their businesses.
hurts shops
Kailua business managers complain
about the stench and lack of parkingBy Genevieve A. Suzuki
gsuzuki@starbulletin.comMaria Esteban, a manager at Big City Diner in the Foodland Marketplace, said the restaurant's business is being affected by the construction and that guests have commented about the smell and the dust.
"If I was a guest, I would feel the same way they do," Esteban said. "But I understand (the work) has to be done, so we try to make it as good a dining experience as we can."
Foodland manager J.R. Mendoza said he notices the odor is worse at night, during construction. "I know at some point in the night the smell is pretty bad," he said.
City spokeswoman Carol Costa said the sewer reconstruction project should not be causing any smells. "That doesn't normally happen," she said.
The smell isn't the only problem, according to Mark Nakashima, another Big City Diner manager. Noise from the construction and the lack of street parking along Hamakua Drive are also frustrating and cutting into business, he said.
"When they work at night it gets kind of loud," Nakashima said. "It affects people on the lanai."
The construction has limited street parking availability. Most of Hamakua Drive in front of the Foodland Marketplace is taped off to the public.
"This is a big stretch of road employees could park on," said Nakashima, looking down Hamakua Drive. "They can't park in the parking lot, so this is a problem."
To alleviate the parking problem, Foodland employees are temporarily being allowed to park in the lot, according to Mendoza.
Foodland employee Tim Scalero said he appreciates having parking, but added: "I'm a firm believer that employees shouldn't park in the parking lot. That's taking up valuable space."
Nakashima said the sewer project is still an improvement over the repair on a deteriorated sewer line that caused a sinkhole at the intersection of Hamakua Drive and Hahani Street in 1998.
For the work on the sinkhole, the city "dug up the street," Nakashima said. "That was the worst. The dust, the noise. They had to redirect traffic."
Down the street, Jaron's restaurant manager Vali Bell also said the current sewer project is nothing like previous repair work. "When we had the sinkhole, that was bad," Bell said. "The walls would rattle."
Bell said she isn't worried about the city's newest project, which includes a jet grouting machine that looks like a cross between a missile silo and an oil drilling rig. "It's a whole different way of doing it this time," Bell said.
The city's reconstructed sewer project extends from Kihapai Street to Kiukee Place, and runs along Kainehe Street, Hamakua Drive and Keolu Drive.
Kailua resident Scalero said he is frustrated with the city's continuous construction, which has blocked off one lane of traffic. "The thing is, they've been doing construction for about six to eight years," Scalero said.
Costa said the sewer reconstruction project is long overdue. "It's very needed and the community understands that and we ask their patience while we get this sewer project in," she said.
The reconstruction, which is being handled by Frank Coluccio Construction, began this summer and should take two years and seven months to complete, Costa said.
City & County of Honolulu
