Drivers reap rewards from freeway work

It’s not over yet, but if the H-1 stretch through central Honolulu was a tunnel, there’d be a light at the end of it.

Work continues this week in the H-1 Freeway Rehabilitation Project (h1rehab.com/), but midtown drivers are already getting a taste of the reward: four lanes in either direction.

It’s that very length of freeway that’s landed Honolulu at or near the top of those worst-freeway-congestion lists over the years. And it’s amazing what a difference the additional lane makes — not to mention the sudden disappearance of the characteristic potholes.

There will be lots more disruption as the rehab moves to the next trouble spots, and this doesn’t even count the rail detours. But it’s nice to reap at least a little of the payoff now.

With new sidewalks, Haleiwa still a country town

You can check it out on the Web: The words "funky" and "Haleiwa" have coexisted in close proximity for a long time. "Rustic," "beachy" … those terms pop up a lot, too. And they’re meant as compliments, badges the town earns as a measure of its charm.

The question is: Does the North Shore enclave lose all that when it gets fixed up? We’ll see. A long-stalled plan to make Haleiwa more pedestrian-friendly with pathways and just plain sidewalks is picking up steam. A $2.8 million contract has been awarded for the planning of the project, estimated to cost $24 million in all.

It may be that the surf town sacrifices a bit of its quirkiness in the upgrade, but it will also be getting rid of some potholes and hazardous highway crossings. And neither of those are all that charming.