StarBulletin.com

Kona Street sewer work to be done by month's end


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POSTED: Thursday, September 10, 2009

Question: Can you please tell us when the work being carried out on the corner of Pensacola and Kona streets will be finished? They have been working there every night for several weeks. They put up big floodlights, which light up our bedroom like daylight. There is also construction noise all night long. We're sleepless in Ala Moana.

Answer: The work to replace the old sewer line on Kona Street—part of the city's Kapiolani Area Revised Sewer System Project—should be completed at the end of September, according to Tim Pearia, project manager/engineer for Frank Coluccio Construction Co.

The company is also the main contractor for the ongoing Kapiolani Boulevard Water Line and Sewer Project. That project involves a major trunk sewer line, while the work along Kona and neighboring side streets involves smaller lines branching off Kapiolani.

The Kona Street project is “;the last piece of work”; for the Kapiolani Area Revised Sewer System Project, Pearia said.

Merchants along Kona Street had asked that work take place at night, he said. The narrow roadway sees heavy traffic during the day.

“;We're constantly juggling the two big issues that we have—the traffic and noise,”; Pearia said. Working during the day, there are traffic problems; during the night, it's mainly noise problems.

“;I put a lot of effort at keeping the noise down,”; he said. “;What we try to do is do the noisiest things during the day,”; such as jackhammering, “;then do the excavating at night to try and keep the noise down.

“;It doesn't always work out, but we try to keep some kind of a happy medium.”;

Work on the Kapiolani Boulevard sewer line, meanwhile, is expected to be completed in October, according to a spokeswoman for that project. See kapiolaniwatersewer.org for information.

But the end of all the sewer work in the area is not in sight.

Pearia said repair and replacement of aging and leaking sewer lines basically will be “;one project right after another”; for at least the next couple of years.

The next project will be along Ala Moana in front of Ala Moana Center.

Residents in high-rise residential towers Ewa of Piikoi Street are forewarned: Work will be done at night and “;they will get the same kind of impact,”; Pearia said.

“;There, we have no choice because Ala Moana is state jurisdiction and they told us (work) has to be done at night,”; he said.

That project may start within a month, but, because it will be halted during the holidays, the majority of work will be done after the holidays, Pearia said.

Question: There is a potentially dangerous situation on the Likelike Highway during peak morning traffic hours (between 5:30 and 6 a.m.). A bicyclist rides his bike in the right lane of the Wilson Tunnel. Cars have to brake to avoid hitting him and some cars swerve into the left lane. Are there traffic regulations prohibiting the riding of bicycles in tunnels on a major highway? I have seen other bicyclists, but they usually walk their bikes through the tunnel on the side raised platforms, not in the vehicle lanes.

Answer: There is no law that prohibits bicyclists from using highways, including the Pali and Likelike tunnels, according to the Honolulu Police Department.

However, bikes are not allowed on freeways, so that would include the H-3 freeway tunnels.