MEDIA RELEASE
PLEASE NOTE:
Lane closure schedules may change at any time without further notice.
All projects are weather permitting.
— AKONI PULE HIGHWAY —
1) MAHUKONA
Alternating single lane closures on Akoni Pule Highway in both directions between Milepost Markers 5 and 15, in the vicinity of Mahukona, on Monday, July 23, through Friday, July 27, from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., daily, for pavement resurfacing.
— HAWAII BELT ROAD—
1) NINOLE TO LAUPAHOEHOE
Alternating single lane closures on Hawaii Belt Road in both directions between Piha Kahuku Road and Middle Road, in the vicinity of Maulua Gulch, on Monday, July 23, through Friday, July 27, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., daily, for tree trimming.
2) PAPAIKOU
Alternating single lane closures on Hawaii Belt Road in both directions between Kaiwiki Road and Old Onomea Road on Monday, July 23 through Friday, July 27, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., for roadway striping work.
— KOHALA MOUNTAIN ROAD —
1) WAIMEA
Alternating single lane closures on Kohala Mountain Road in both directions between Milepost Markers 2 and 7, in the vicinity of Waiaka Junction, on Monday, July 23, through Friday, July 27, from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., daily, for pavement resurfacing.
— MAMALAHOA HIGHWAY —
1) WAIKOLOA
Alternating single lane closures on Mamalahoa Highway in both directions between Milepost Markers 13.7 and 14.0, in the vicinity of Saddle Road, on Monday, July 23 through Friday, July 27, from 8:30 am to 3:00 pm, for roadside utility work.
— VOLCANO ROAD —
1) MOUNTAIN VIEW
Alternating single lane closures on Volcano Road in both directions between Kukui Camp Road and North Lauko Road on Monday, July 23, through Friday, July 27, from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., daily, for roadside utility installations.
Beware of the tree trimmers that are working in the Maulua Gulch area, they are ocasionaly closing the road in both directions for as much as 1/2 hour to remove felled trees that are dropped from the gulch hillside.
They are only using an end loader with no crane to lower the trees safely, and are damaging the metal guardrails and possibly the roadway when the trees hit it.
The Police have no control over the situation as there are only 2 officers at both ends stopping traffic, with no one in the middle to assess when the road can be reopened safely.
The company had no chipper/shredder, no crane, no workers on the ground just the end loader operator and truck drivers and no man lift (JLG) to position the workers safely and efficiently; just two small dump trucks were present at the time I viewed the incident.
This incident happened on July 17, 2012 at 11:20 AM to 11:50 AM; I made a phone call to Police 911 (I thought it was a safety hazard for emergency vehicles), The County and State Offices of Transportation (traffic started to move again after the 911 call).
So drivers to and from Hilo on Hwy 19, just be aware of these long stops.