The state was to open a single access lane on Kuhio Highway today for emergency purposes only after crews cleared debris from Thursday’s landslide that blocked access to Kauai’s north shore.

The state Department of Transportation said crews worked through the weekend to clear large amounts of debris from the highway at Hanalei Hill.

State Senate President Ron Kouchi, who represents Kauai and Niihau, said, “I certainly admire the work that has been done in dealing with this.”

Everybody across the island chain has been pulling together to help those statewide affected by flash floods and heavy rainfall, he added.

The Transportation Department said crews Monday installed concrete barriers and a rock fence in the affected area on Kuhio Highway to prevent debris and runoff on the roadway. Officials said the road itself is in good condition.

Thursday’s flash flooding and heavy rain resulted in the mudslide that overran a section of the highway, cutting off access to and from Kauai’s north shore.

Ed Sniffen, deputy director of the Transportation Department’s Highways Division, said the access lane targeted to open today will enable the county to address critical services such as repairs, supplies, first responder-related needs and refuse collection.

Officials will check to ensure the community has potable water and conduct a damage assessment. “There’s a lot of work that needs to be done in the next couple of days,” Sniffen said Monday.

The emergency access period is expected to be about two days. Sniffen said they are working on a plan to open the access lane to the public, which will involve alternating traffic and a limited number of vehicles while crews continue slope stabilization work.

Officials are considering public access from 5 to 7 a.m., restricting access from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. for construction and resuming access from 5 to 10 p.m. The times will be discussed with the community in a meeting to be set up by the county.

The affected roadway is expected to fully reopen once slope stabilization work is completed. Work is expected to take three to four months to complete, according to Sniffen. The preliminary cost estimate for the slope stabilization project is $10 million.

Community members, meanwhile, have rallied to help shuttle isolated residents in and out of the north shore via small boats and Zodiacs.

Officials noted the resilience of the community, which has endured extensive damage in the flash floods that occurred in April 2018.

Sara Carsia, co-owner of Fresh Bite Kauai, a food truck in Hanalei that was among the businesses directly affected by the recent mudslide, immediately stepped in Thursday to assist. She passed out organic chicken sandwiches and steak wraps to crew members, police, boat captains, volunteers and others.

“It’s a pretty tightknit place back here,” Carsia said.

The flash floods and landslides in April 2018 destroyed or caused significant damage to more than 100 homes on Kauai and Oahu. Carsia’s home was one of the structures decimated in that storm.

She recalled how the community helped her and her family in the aftermath of the storm and supported her business during the COVID-19 pandemic. “In a time of need, you come together as a community,” Carsia said.

With what the north shore has dealt with since the April 2018 floods, “we’re used to rolling with the punches,” she added.