Accidents and road work back up freeway traffic
Traffic backed up in both directions on the H-1 Freeway early this afternoon. This photo was taken from the Ward Street overpass. One lane is closed in the Ewa direction for road work.
Road work and accidents backed up traffic on the H-1 Freeway past the Old Wailae Road on-ramp in the Ewa direction. In the foreground, cars were also bumper-to-bumper on Old Waialae Road as people exited the freeway only to be caught up in traffic on surface streets. Road repairs were also underway on Old Waiale Road. (Paul Honda/phonda@staradvertiser.com)
Road work, several accidents and stalled cars backed up traffic on the H-1 Freeway for much of the morning.
The state Department of Transportation scheduled emergency repair work on Ewa-bound lanes Monday from 9 a.m.until 1:30 p.m between the Lunalilo Street off-ramp and the School Street on-ramp.
There were also accidents reported on the Moanalua Freeway in the town-bound direction at 11 a.m.; on the H-1 Freeway in the Ewa direction near Houghtailing at 10:43 a.m. and near the Vineyard off-ramp at 10:38 a.m.; and on the H-1 Freeway town-bound near the Waimalu off-ramp at 10:20 a.m.
In addition, a fatal traffic accident under the H-1 viaduct closed Nimitz/Kamehameha Highway from about 4 a.m. until 8 a.m. while police investigated the crash.
Surface streets were also clogged as cars got off the freeway to avoid the traffic jams there, only to be caught in more traffic on city roads.
The state Department of Transportation had hoped that traffic would be lighter this week while public schools are on spring break, spokeswoman Caroline Sluyter said.
Some repair projects will continue for the rest of the week during daylight hours.
Lanes are also closed on the Nimitz Highway in both directions from Sand Island Access Road and Waikamilo Road for utility repairs. The Nimitz project continues from 9 a.m.until 2:30 p.m. Monday through Friday until April. Sluyter said the work on Nimitz Highway involves traffic signal modifications and trenching in some areas.
Sluyter recommends that motorists check the department’s website — hidot.hawaii.gov — clicking on “road work.” The link gives motorists information on lane closures on all islands. The website is updated weekly, she said.
