Question: Is there any chance they’ll delay the H-1 nighttime closure in town until after Christmas?
Answer: That is not the state Department of Transportation’s intention. You are referring to the overnight full closure of the eastbound H-1 freeway from the Punahou Street off-ramp (Exit 23) to the Kapiolani Boulevard on-ramp, which had been scheduled for this week but was postponed until next week due to rainy weather. The roadwork, to install expansion joints and vehicular counting loops, is now scheduled to begin at 8:30 p.m. Sunday and continue overnight until 4:30 a.m. Monday, then resume nightly on the same schedule until the work is completed by 4:30 a.m. Dec. 15. “The contractor will increase the workforce in an effort to remain on schedule and complete the job within five days,” the DOT said in a news release Tuesday.
The DOT does follow a “No Lane Closure” policy during the holiday season “to help ease traffic during this busy time of the year,” but the restricted period does not begin until Dec. 18 (and runs through Jan. 2), DOT spokesperson Russell Pang said in an email Wednesday. The restriction also was in effect Nov. 23-26 for Thanksgiving. During the restricted phase, road “construction projects are not scheduled; however, certain exemptions are made for emergency roadwork or projects that are needed to ensure safety,” he said.
He noted that next week’s overnight closures will occur before the “No Lane Closure” period begins.
Another reader asked whether starting the work Sunday would disrupt the Honolulu Marathon, which runs that day; the answer is no. The marathon does not run on the H-1 freeway, and the race from town to East Oahu and back starts at 5 a.m. For details on the Honolulu Marathon route, see honolulumarathon.org/. Still, it’s a good reminder to East Oahu residents planning to avoid marathon-related lane closures along Kalanianaole Highway and elsewhere in Hawaii Kai on Sunday morning that they’ll face a different traffic disruption if they head into town later that day and try to drive home on the H-1 after 8:30 p.m.
When the nighttime closure is in effect, “motorists traveling in the eastbound direction may exit at the Punahou Street off-ramp (Exit 23), turn left onto South King Street, then turn right onto Kapiolani Boulevard, where they may access the on-ramp to the eastbound H-1 freeway,” according to the DOT news release.
The eastbound overnight closure will coincide with the ongoing nightly full closure of the westbound H-1 freeway, from the University Avenue interchange to Alexander Street. The westbound closure occurs nightly from 8:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., Sunday nights through Friday mornings.
For more information, go to the DOT website, hidot.hawaii.gov/. The DOT asks motorists to plan their routes ahead of time, allow for extra travel time and be patient.
Q: Do they leave the lights on all night for the outdoor holiday displays at Honolulu Hale and around the grounds?
A: Yes. The 50-foot Christmas tree in front of Honolulu Hale and the other outdoor displays are illuminated nightly at about 6 p.m. and remain on until dawn, switching off at about 6 a.m., according to the Honolulu City Lights website. The annual holiday festival, which kicked off Dec. 2 and runs through Dec. 29, is open daily from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. on the Frank F. Fasi Civic Center Grounds, the website said.
Mahalo
My husband and I lunched at the food court at Ala Moana Center on Tuesday. We stood up and left leaving my purse on the seat. Two people came running after us to tell us about the purse. Thank you to both, especially to the woman with her baby strapped to her chest. We appreciate the effort and honesty. I shudder to think of the consequences of my carelessness otherwise. Happy holidays. — Grateful reader
Write to Kokua Line at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Suite 7-500, Honolulu, HI 96813; call 808-529-4773; or email kokualine@staradvertiser.com.
