Kapiolani traffic affected by water main break

A broken 12-inch water main on Kapiolani Boulevard between Kaheka Street and Atkinson Drive was replaced Tuesday, but not before the better part of two days of disruption to traffic and nearby businesses.

Kapiolani Boulevard was fully reopened to traffic at about 3:20 p.m., and two Ewa-bound lanes had been reopened Tuesday morning. Honolulu Board of Water Supply spokeswoman Kathleen Pahinui said crews spent part of Tuesday testing the new pipe.

A private construction crew working on a new building in the area “nicked our pipe” sometime between 2 and 3 p.m. Monday, Pahinui said.

The broken water main cut off water to a nearby condominium and a handful of businesses on the mauka side of Kapiolani Boulevard at 1646 Kapiolani.

Repair crews installed a temporary water bypass to the condo and set up a water wagon near the Papa John’s Pizza restaurant,which also remains without water.

The building includes Papa John’s, PUNCH Training Centre, Teddy’s Bigger Bur­gers, TOHO Pizza, The Nailery Beauty Center and The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf.

Snooky Fujikawa, owner of PUNCH Training Centre, said some clients canceled both their private and group lessons Monday afternoon and again Tuesday.

“It’s put a damper on things,” Fujikawa said Tuesday before repairs were complete and the street reopened. “It’s a bit of an inconvenience. You can’t use the restroom in the area, and it makes it more of a challenge for the clients to get here.”

Crystal Amado, shift manager at The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, said her store opened Tuesday but was selling only pre-made, cold items.

“We’re really slow, yeah,” Amado said. “It’s really dead and foot traffic is really light. We’re still without water. We are open, but we’re just serving cold drinks right now. We need hot water, so our espresso bar is turned off because it takes water pressure.”

The store had closed before 7 p.m. Monday, more than three hours early.

“Right now,” Amado said Tuesday morning, “if you drive by there’s a big hole in the road.”