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Stretch of Kamehameha Highway on North Shore to close overnight for wind turbine logistics

The Hawaii Department of Transportation officials will close a stretch of Kamehameha Highway — between Laniakea Beach and Sunset Beach — tonight between midnight and 2 a.m. Thursday on Oahu’s North Shore.

Overnight “roving closures” from Kalaeloa Boulevard to Kamehameha Highway have also been scheduled from 11 p.m. tonight to 3 a.m. Thursday, state officials said.

The permitted closures are for the Na Pua Makani wind farm’s “dry run” to ensure there are no issues with their turbine and equipment transport, state officials said. The project was recently challenged at the state Public Utilities Commission by a Hawaii environmental group, and has been opposed by a group of Kahuku residents.

The roving closures are scheduled for the following state routes:

>> H-1 freeway eastbound between Kalaeloa Boulevard and the Kamehameha Highway off-ramp.

>> Kamehameha Highway (Route 99) northbound between H-1 eastbound and Ka Uka Boulevard to the H-2 freeway.

>> H-2 freeway northbound from Ka Uka Boulevard to Wilikina Drive.

>> From Wilikina Drive, the closures will continue northbound using Kamananui Road and the Joseph P. Leong Bypass.

The state released the following timetable for all the closures:

>> 11 p.m. to midnight: Roving right lane on the eastbound H-1 freeway from Kalaeloa Boulevard to the northbound Kamehameha Highway offramp (Exit 8C), then a right turn onto Ka Uka Boulevard to the northbound H-2 freeway, continue onto Wilikina Drive and a right onto Kamananui Road and back onto the northbound Kamehameha Highway.

>> Midnight to 2 a.m.: Closure of Kamehameha Highway n both directions from Laniakea Beach to Sunset Beach. A shuttle for TheBus will be provided from Turtle Bay to Haleiwa. Emergency vehicles and first responders will be allowed through the area.

>> 2 to 3 a.m.: Roving right-lane closure on Kamehameha Highway from Sunset Beach to Kahuku.

Electronic message boards will be posted to notify motorists of the closures, and special duty police officers will be on-site to assist with traffic control. State DOT officials advise motorists are advised to allow for extra travel time to get to their destinations.

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