MEDIA RELEASE

HONOLULU – The Hawaii Department of Transportation (HDOT) is informing the public of preparations it is taking in advance of possible weather impacts from Tropical Storm Olivia and encourages travelers to take the following actions:

Airports
Air travelers with confirmed tickets for travel into or out of Hawaii airports are encouraged to check with their airline for potential flight delays, cancelations, or travel waivers.

In general, State of Hawaii airports will remain open unless there is damage to the runway or terminal facilities; however, the Ellison Onizuka International Airport at Keahole may restrict passenger boarding and deplaning during high winds or heavy rains.

Harbors
Commercial harbors in Hawaii and Maui Counties were put into port condition Yankee by the United States Coast Guard Captain of the Port at 8 a.m. Monday, Sept. 10, 2018. At port condition Yankee no vessels may enter, transit, or remain within the harbor safety zone without permission of the Captain of the Port.

Condition Yankee is set 24 hours in advance of potential tropical storm force winds (39 to 73 mph). Should Olivia continue as forecasted, Honolulu Harbor and Kalaeloa Harbor are expected to be put under Yankee at 6 p.m. today with Kauai harbors to follow at 10 p.m.

Highways
HDOT Highways Division will not be preemptively closing any state routes in anticipation of Olivia; however, motorists are advised to use caution on roadways with a history of flooding, landslide, rockfall or tree fall hazards. Updates and information on state routes will be posted over HDOT’s social media accounts, https://www.facebook.com/HawaiiDepartmentOfTransportation/ and https://twitter.com/DOTHawaii

General advice for motorists includes:

• Keep your gas tank at least half-full in case you need to evacuate or move to higher ground.
• Make sure your windshield wipers are in good condition and use your headlights if you are driving in rainy conditions. Turning on your headlights increases your visibility and helps make other drivers aware of you.
• Do not drive through fast moving water or water of indeterminable depth. You could stall out your car or your vehicle could be washed away. As little as 24-inches of moving water could possibly wash away a vehicle.
• Do not drive in high winds, especially in high profile vehicles as you risk your vehicle being pushed by winds or rolled over.
• Following high wind events be cautious on the road as debris and live electrical lines could cause damage to you and your vehicle.

HDOT will maintain communication with Federal, State, and County officials to ensure coordination in the preparation, landfall, and recovery phases of an event. Residents and visitors should continue to monitor current conditions with the National Weather Service and media outlets. Additional updates will be posted on the HDOT website at http://hidot.hawaii.gov/weather-advisories/