State will suspend H-1 freeway work to ease UH game traffic
This image from the traffic camera at the H-1/H-2 merge shows the traffic back-up from a construction project on the H-1 viaduct. (Courtesy Honolulu traffic camera)
The state Department of Transportation will suspend work on the H-1 freeway Airport Viaduct project from 9 a.m. until 11 p.m. Saturday to reduce the impact of the project on University of Hawaii game day traffic.
Caroline Sluyter, a spokeswoman for the Transportation Department, said in an e-mail that the DOT will “continue to monitor the situation and make adjustments as we continue to balance the need to get the work done and reduce the traffic impacts where possible.”
The state plans to close two right lanes in the Ewa direction of the H-1 freeway between the Airport offramp and the Radford Drive overpass from 10 p.m. Friday through 9 a.m. Saturday and from 11 p.m. Saturday through 4 p.m. Sunday for deck surveys.
The ramps will remain open.
The work is part of a project to replace the concrete deck on the viaduct, repair expansion joints and restripe the pavement.
Sluyter said there is a cost when project work is delayed
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“The administration has to carefully consider and balance the needs of completing the project on time and on budget and the cost and impact to the traveling public,” Sluyter said. “There are very few alternative routes, much traffic congestion and really no good time to do roadwork.”
Last week, the DOT issued a press release in the morning saying it would continue with the Airport Viaduct project during the UH game and future UH game days. But then reversed the decision in the afternoon and canceled last weekend’s work.
Other freeway work this weekend will continue.
Left lanes will be closed on the H-1 freeway in the Koko Head direction between the Keeaumoku Street overpass and Ward Avenue overpass from 9 p.m. Sunday night until 4 a.m. Monday morning. Left lanes on the freeway in the same area in both directions will be closed from 9 p.m. to 4 a.m. nightly until Friday for overhead sign demolition and installation.
Vineyard Boulevard wil also be closed in the Ewa direction between the Ward Avenue overpass and the Queen Emma Street Overpass from 5:30 p.m. Sunday through 5 a.m. Monday for paving. The H-1 freeway offramp to Vineyard will also be closed.
