Kalanianaole sewer repairs
likely to create morning jam

East Honolulu motorists can expect delays during this morning's rush hour as city crews work to repair the fourth sewer-main break in Niu Valley in five weeks.

Crews worked through the night to excavate the site of the latest break and city officials expected the work to continue past the morning rush hour.

A city official driving home to Hawaii Kai noticed buckling on Kalanianaole Highway yesterday where a sewer main ruptured three times last month.

"As you make a repair in one spot, it tends to break in another," said James Baginski, acting assistant chief of the city Department of Environmental Services' Collection System Maintenance Division.

"We caught it early," said Baginski, who discovered the break. "Luckily, I live out here."

Environmental Services officials have begun an emergency project to install a temporary surface bypass line and a permanent underground replacement for the 16-inch force main that is causing the problem.

No sewage spilled yesterday as it did during ruptures on Feb. 2, 14 and 26, but all were a result of corrosion in the 45-year-old pipes, according to city officials.

The sewer main is a pressurized line carrying raw sewage from Niu Valley to town.

Last night's lane closures began after rush hour.

The right lanes of Kalanianaole Highway were shut in both directions near the Niu Wastewater Pumping Station, Ewa of Niu Valley Shopping Center. The site is near 5677 Kalanianaole Highway.

The lane closures allowed crews to work on excavating the main.

The right-hand townbound lane will be used to allow tanker trucks removing untreated sewage from the pumping station to transport it to Wailupe.

In the previous instances, vehicles were rerouted, causing major traffic tie-ups. They were:

Customers of Roy's Restaurant in Hawaii Kai called to say they were stuck in traffic, but arrived just a few minutes late, a restaurant employee said. The traffic jam on Feb. 14 disrupted the Valentine's Day business of East Oahu restaurants, including Roy's.