A bridge closure in Waialua has exacerbated traffic on surrounding roadways as commuters use alternative routes.

“The cars are backing up at the intersection of Thompson Corner,” according to Manu Anana, board president of the Waialua Community Association. “There’s more traffic. … It takes longer to get in and out of the area.”

Heavy rainfall and flooding in March wreaked havoc across the state, resulting in extensive damage to homes, farms, businesses, roadways and bridges that include the Waialua Beach Road Bridge.

With the bridge closure, traffic is expected to increase as Waialua Elementary School, near the bridge, prepares to transition to a full on-campus learning schedule beginning next week.

Berni Paik-Apau, office manager at the Waialua Community Association, said, “The people living at the Haleiwa side have to go all the way around to drop their kids off.”

The bridge over Kiikii Stream was deemed unsafe for crossings after a structural inspection was conducted over the past weekend. City officials said the bridge will remain closed indefinitely until repairs are completed.

“Damage to several piles no longer supporting the west abutment is of such significance that closure of the bridge indefinitely was the prudent decision,” according to the Honolulu Department of Design and Construction.

It’s unclear at this time how long the bridge will be closed. The engineering and design phase of the project is underway, and the city is expected to release a construction schedule once it becomes available.

Meanwhile, city officials say commuters traveling between the west end of Waialua Beach Road and Haleiwa must continue to use Goodale Avenue, Farrington Highway, Kaukonahua Road and Weed Circle. Only residents who live on Waialua Beach Road between the east side of the bridge and Haleiwa Road are allowed to drive beyond the posted road closure signs to access their homes.

The bridge closure has had a tremendous impact on area residents, especially at Thompson Corner, which Paik-Apau described as the “biggest bottleneck.”

Anana, who lives in Haleiwa and uses Kaukonahua Road during the morning to go to work, recommends implementing traffic control at Thompson Corner to improve traffic flow.

For parents and guardians whose children attend Waialua Elementary School, those commuting from the east are advised to use the detour via Goodale Avenue to access the school via Waialua Beach Road eastbound.

Waialua Elementary is slated to transition to a full on-campus learning schedule for grades K-2 beginning next week and grades 3-6 the following week as part of the school’s reopening plan as the COVID-19 vaccination rollout widens in the community.

The school anticipates all students to be on campus five days a week for full school days by April 16, according to Principal Varissa Pata in a recent message posted on the school website.