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City officials say it will take 2 weeks to repair Ala Moana sinkhole

Gordon Y.K. Pang

City officials said today it will take two weeks to repair the section of Ala Moana Beach Park Drive, where a large sinkhole has been blocking the Ewa entrance to Ala Moana Regional Park since Tuesday afternoon.

A contractor and city crews will be working seven days a week to repair multiple holes in the 48-inch pipes below the road near the Ewa entrance, which is along Kamakee Street, the city said in a release.

The pipes are overflow pipes that serve as a conduit between the park lagoon and Kewalo Basin Harbor.

Until the road is reopened, vehicular access to Oahu’s most popular beach park must be through the Diamond Head entrance, which is opposite the makai end of Atkinson Drive.

Pedestrians and bicyclists will be allowed through the Ewa entrance, and will also be able to continue using other regular access points.

City officials say the damaged pipes caused the sinkhole. Repairs to the pipes can only take place during low tide.

An emergency contract for repair of the drain line and driveway was issued to the firm Site Engineering for $125,000. Staff from the Department of Design and Construction completed the engineering design in-house, city officials said.

To ease traffic backup exiting Ala Moana Park Drive during the Ewa entrance closure, traffic signals have been modified by the Department of Transportation Services at the Atkinson Drive gate that allows for a green light of 60 seconds for exiting vehicles. Normally, the light stays green for only 20 seconds, the city said.

During weekend peak traffic hours, special duty Honolulu police officers will direct traffic.

The park will continue to be open from 4 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.

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