Crews extend hours to access Pali Highway after clearing debris
COURTESY DOT / April 2
The state Department of Transportation crews continue to work on securing the hillside above the Pali Highway after a February rockslide. Transportation officials said the Windward-bound lanes would be opened an hour later than usual today after overnight rains closed the Honolulu-bound lanes this morning.
The Windward-bound lanes of the Pali Highway will reopen today for the afternoon commute after crews cleared debris that fell onto the road during Tuesday night’s torrential downpour.
The lanes will be open and close one-hour later than usual from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. today, according to Ed Sniffen, deputy director of the Hawaii Department of Transportation’s Highways Division during a news briefing this afternoon.
Afternoon commute hours on the Pali Highway will resume the regular 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. schedule starting Thursday.
The Honolulu-bound morning contraflow lanes, which were closed today after the overnight deluge, will reopen Thursday with the usual 5 a.m.-to-9 a.m. hours.
Sniffen said heavy rains blew out three sections of erosion matting with 12-inch spikes at the slope where a major landslide occurred in February.
Some debris fell onto the road due to the rainfall. Crews removed the debris, re-matted the slope and installed six-foot anchors to secure the matting.
Sniffen said officials attempted to open the Pali Highway Honolulu-bound lanes for this morning’s contraflow but were unable to do so.
