Department of Transportation

HONOLULU – The Hawaii Department of Transportation (HDOT) is happy to announce the substantial completion of the H-1 Freeway Shoulder Widening and Portland Cement Concrete Pavement Rehabilitation (PCCP) project which is finished ahead of schedule. The project replaced some of the worst pavement on the state system with new precast concrete pavement in both directions between Pearl City and Halawa, as well as widened the eastbound shoulder lane between the Waimalu Viaduct and the Aiea Pedestrian Overpass. The shoulder will serve as a safety area during morning contraflow operations and can be converted to a shoulder lane to provide more capacity in the future.

“We are thrilled to be able to finish this project ahead of schedule and before the holiday season begins,” said Gov. David Ige. “This is just one of many projects that aim to improve our transportation infrastructure and help improve the quality of life of our residents across the state.”

The H-1 Freeway on the Pearl City Viaduct is the busiest roadway in the state with an average traffic count of more than 247,000 vehicles each day. With that in mind HDOT and its contractors worked to minimize impacts to the traveling public by working overnight and utilizing efficient techniques, such as precast concrete panels that were built offsite and then placed on the roadway to shorten the lane closure time by significantly reducing concrete curing time. The new pavement sections were rebuilt at final grade of the roadway to ensure a level surface.

The project also widened the shoulder lane on the H-1 Freeway eastbound in Waimalu and Aiea to 24 feet allowing a safe area for disabled vehicles to pull over without blocking the travel lanes, even during morning commute hours when the shoulder lane is open. Additional upgrades were made to the highway lighting and drainage system.

“Commuters may remember the bumpy sections of asphalt that covered uneven areas of the freeway. Those sections are now gone and replaced with a smooth riding surface,” said Deputy Director Ed Sniffen, Hawaii Department of Transportation Highway Division. “The new widened shoulder increases safety and allows greater flexibility to make additional improvements, such as an additional lane, in the future.”

The project broke ground May 2018 and was originally estimated to be completed in early 2020. HDOT invested $68 million in Highways funds to the improvements. To view the project website click here. To view project photos click here.

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