The state Department of Transportation will open the southbound lane on Karsten Thot Bridge for the morning rush hour starting today as officials brainstorm ways of alleviating the Wahiawa traffic jam due to bridge construction.
While traffic in Wahiawa did not come to a standstill Tuesday morning, it was still slow-moving, state officials said.
Wahiawa businesses are feeling the crunch as many motorists are avoiding traveling to Wahiawa. Mike Richards, owner of Perk-A-Lot Coffee & Sandwich Shop, said business has dropped 25 percent since Monday. Richards said his regular customers from the North Shore do not want to deal with the traffic.
"So far, it zeroed out my North Shore traffic," he said.
Caroline Sluyter, Department of Transportation spokeswoman, said traffic control by police officers as well as modifications made by Schofield Barracks helped alleviate congestion.
Starting today, the bridge’s Honolulu-bound lane will be open from 5 to 9 a.m. weekdays, except for holidays, for passenger vehicles for the duration of the six-week project. Buses or heavy commercial vehicles will not be allowed, Transportation Director Glenn Okimoto said at a news conference Tuesday.
"Since closing the bridge on Monday, DOT engineers have been monitoring and evaluating the traffic situation, listening to community concerns and working with the Honolulu Police Department and the area military installations to mitigate the traffic issues," he said.
In the Schofield Barracks area, motorists will not be allowed to turn left into or out of McNair Gate from 5 to 9 a.m. on weekdays for the duration of the project.
Highways Administrator Alvin Takeshita said, "We do acknowledge that the closure has caused a lot of pain and congestion in the area, so we’re trying to balance the need for the emergency work as well as lessen the impact on the public."
The state is adding more crew members to the project. Okimoto said the traffic modification will likely extend the project to take more than six weeks and increase repair costs. Costs are estimated at $4.5 million.
The 80-year-old bridge is named after a field supervisor for Hawaiian Pineapple Co. Karsten Thot, a native of Germany, arrived in Hawaii in 1904 where he worked as a supervisor until his death in 1932, the year the bridge was constructed, according to a 2007 "Kokua Line" column. The bridge — one of three metal truss bridges in Hawaii and the only one of its type on Oahu — underwent a major overhaul in the late 1990s.
In the state’s latest bridge inspection, a consultant notified officials of deficiencies that include corroded rivets. The state lowered the bridge capacity to a 10-ton vehicle limit from its 22-ton limit as contractors began the repair process, but engineers observed noncompliance as heavy commercial vehicles continued to use the bridge. That prompted officials to close the bridge, Okimoto said.
DOT Bridge Engineer Paul Santo said they expect repairs to extend the life of the bridge by at least 10 to 20 years with proper maintenance. The load capacity limit will return to 22 tons after repairs are completed.
In a written statement, Gov. Neil Abercrombie said officials are looking into long-term solutions that include the possibility of building a new bridge.
Okimoto said, "We’re maybe looking at asking for some planning funds to look at what’s really needed. We haven’t made a decision on that." Cost to construct a new bridge is estimated at $10 million to $20 million.
