Emergency repairs to Pali Highway following February’s landslide and rockfall are on track, and the limited hours of access to the tunnel by motorists remain the same, according to state transportation officials.

The repairs to Pali Highway, along with repaving work on Honolulu-bound lanes, are expected to be completed by the end of August.

Monday through Friday, the hours of access to the Pali Highway contra-flow will remain:

>> 5 to 9 a.m.: Honolulu- bound.

>> 3 to 7 p.m.: Access to Kailua/Kaneohe-bound lanes.

In response to comments from motorists that the contra-flow lanes have been closed before the stated times, state transportation officials said they will be checking with the contractor overseeing the contra-flow to verify those hours are being maintained. They also recommended drivers give themselves adequate time to clear any congestion leading to Castle Junction or Waokanaka Street. If drivers are within a half-hour of the lane- closing time before leaving home or work, officials urge them to consider taking another route.

Pali Highway will remain closed on weekends and holidays to maximize the time for emergency slope stabilization work, state officials said.

The repair work, estimated to cost $20 million, includes the installation of a mesh net system to stabilize the slope between the Pali Tunnels, the installation of a tunnel structure and repairs to a damaged electrical building between the tunnels.

Repairs to the building and conduits are expected to be finished in June. Once completed, the tunnel lights, which have been out since the Feb. 18 rockfall, are expected to come back on.

Contractors continue to install a mesh net system, referred to in engineering terms as an “attenuator,” below Old Pali Road to prevent more rockfalls from spilling onto the roadway. A structure extending the entrance to the second tunnel, Kailua bound, is also being planned, as an additional shield from falling rocks and soil. Some preparation work for the new structure began last week.

Currently, the left lane of the Kailua-bound side of the highway is closed after the Waokanaka Street intersection for the installation of a 4,000-foot concrete drainage gutter. The closure could last another four to six weeks. Two lanes will remain accessible to the public.

When the H-3 freeway or Likelike Highway is closed for maintenance, state officials said they will make Pali Highway available.

The state Department of Transportation also posted answers on its website to the following frequently asked questions:

>> Why can’t we have contraflow in the Kailua- bound lanes all day?

For the safety of everyone involved, HDOT is restricting access between the tunnels during work on the slopes. During access hours, the emergency work crews avoid any work that may disturb the slope. HDOT avoids contraflowing traffic within tunnels except in the most extreme circumstances due to safety concerns relating to head-on traffic within tunnels. Contractors may also be on both sides of the highway during work hours as they use the Kailua bound lanes to work on the Honolulu bound side.

>> Will the Honolulu- bound morning contraflow and Kailua-bound access be open on holidays?

HDOT is working with the contractor to substantially complete the Pali Highway Emergency Work and the repaving of the Honolulu-bound lanes of Pali Highway between Castle Junction and Waokanaka Street by the end of August. Allowing the contractor to work on weekends and holidays helps with the accelerated scheduling.

>> Are crews really working between the access hours?

Yes. Crews are working to install the slope mesh, repair the electrical building for the tunnel lights, and install the attenuator system. Drilling in preparation for the foundations of the new tunnel structure began May 13.