MEDIA RELEASE

A series of projects to reconstruct park roads will begin on Monday, July 11 at Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Work will start on Crater Rim Drive at Jaggar Museum and work back to the park entrance at Highway 11. Parking lots at Jaggar Museum, Steam Vents, Kīlauea Visitor Center and Volcano House are also targeted to receive improved surfaces. One lane of traffic will remain open with 15-minute delays anticipated Monday to Friday from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Simultaneously, pavement reconstruction will also occur on the first two miles of Mauna Loa Road, including roadways within Tree Molds and Kipukapuaulu picnic area. The construction project was awarded to Jas. W Glover, Ltd. of Hilo.

Superintendent Cindy Orlando stated her appreciation for driver patience adding, “A lot of noise from heavy equipment is expected yet we wanted to be sure to time these projects to avoid interfering with the nesting schedule of the endangered Nēnē. Visitors are advised to be mindful of slow-moving equipment on the roads and to use caution. Safety is of the highest priority to us.”

Roads included in pavement preservation projects include Mauna Loa Road above Kipukapuaulu, extending about two miles up to the first cattle guard as well as the section of Crater Rim Drive that extends from the park entrance to Thurston Lava Tube (Nāhuku) and all of Chain of Craters Road extending from the Devastation Trail parking area to the coast as well as Hilina Pali Road. These projects are being funded by the Federal Highways Administration and are expected to last 10 months.