City to lift left-turn restrictions for 6 months

Starting next week, the city will remove left-turn restrictions on several streets as part of a six-month traffic study requested by Honolulu County Councilman Trevor Ozawa, according to the city Department of Transportation Services.

“Removing the left-turn restrictions at both McCully Street and Atkinson Drive will improve access into Waikiki and Ala Moana for westbound travelers,” said Ozawa in a news release. “Traffic patterns and the amount of traffic has changed since 1952 when the Kapiolani Boulevard contraflow lane was first implemented.”

DTS will collect and evaluate relevant data during the modification period. The following changes will begin Tuesday:

Kapiolani Boulevard

>> Afternoon contra-flow coning on Kapiolani will be eliminated from Atkinson Drive to McCully Street. Left turns will be allowed at McCully and Atkinson during peak afternoon periods. This modification is scheduled to last through December, barring the development of adverse traffic conditions.

>> Afternoon coning on Kapiolani from Ward Avenue to Atkinson will remain the same.

Kalakaua Avenue

>> Afternoon coning on Kalakaua will be terminated. Left turns from Kalakaua in the Ewa-bound direction will be allowed during the afternoon.

>> Traffic signal phasing at McCully, Atkinson and Kalakaua will operate the same as regular, noncontra-flow hours during the day.