Multiple lanes of Nimitz Highway and Ala Moana Boulevard in both directions will be closed from Chinatown to Waikiki next week for resurfacing and other work, the state Department of Transportation announced Thursday.
Night work will take place between Smith Street and Kalakaua Avenue from Sunday night through Friday morning from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m.
Crews will resurface the pavement, install street lights and repair sidewalks as part of a resurfacing and highway lighting project begun about 10 months ago with plans for completion within the next couple of months, Patricia Wong, DOT spokeswoman, said.
Westbound traffic may be detoured between Ward Avenue and Queen Street. Drivers may use Ward Avenue to Auahi and Queen streets as a detour route back to Ala Moana Boulevard.
Access to Cooke Street from Ala Moana Boulevard will be closed. Motorists may use Coral and Ohe streets as alternate routes.
During the day, there will be single-lane closures on Ala Moana Boulevard in both directions between Queen Street and Kalakaua Avenue from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday as workers install utility equipment.
Wong said the closures might cause traffic delays, but "most work happens at night, so it’s not going to be too bad. If it is bad, there are possible detours."
Motorists are advised to use alternate routes such as Beretania Street, King Street and Kapiolani Boulevard.
"It’s got to be done," Larry Hurst, Ala Moana/ Kakaako Neighborhood Board chairman, said of the roadwork Friday. "This project is a long time coming."
Before the project started, Wong said, the department sent out fliers and other material to homes and businesses in the community to inform them that roadwork in the area would be ongoing.
The work is welcome and much needed, Hurst said, but he and others are happy that lanes were kept open during the holidays.
"In years past they might not have even stopped roadwork for the holidays," he said. "But I think they just realized it was too much of a strain to keep doing it during that time this year."
No work was being done on state roads between Dec. 20 and Jan. 1, Wong said, and no other major closures related to this project are scheduled.
People with questions or concerns may call the 24-hour project hotline at 753-8930 or email bradf@goodfellowbros.com.
