Camera views of Puna routes available; additional alternate evacuation routes for lower Puna planned

Posted on Jun 21, 2018 in Highways Posts, Main, News

HILO – The Hawaii Department of Transportation (HDOT) announces the availability of thermal and visual camera views of the cracks at mile markers 14.4 and 14.6 on Keaau-Pahoa Road (Highway 130) and a camera view of Highway 11 at the entrance to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. The camera views may be accessed at https://ops.punatraffic.com and are made available to assist emergency management and lower Puna residents with decision making during the continuing volcanic activity from Kilauea Volcano.

Highway 130, the main route for lower Puna, remains open to local traffic as HDOT and emergency response workers continue to monitor gas levels and temperature at mile markers 14.4 and 14.6. This section of Highway 130 developed cracks due to the volcanic activity on May 4 and was reopened following the installation of steel plates and monitoring equipment on May 15, 2018.

HDOT completed preparation of alternate evacuation routes on Chain of Craters Road and parallel to Highway 130 in coordination with the County of Hawaii, National Park Service, state and federal agencies, and private landowners. These emergency evacuation routes were ready for use on Saturday, June 2, 2018.

The preparation of an additional alternative route to Highway 130 has begun. This alternate route would intersect with Highway 130 at the Black Sand Subdivision, run through various private lots, and connect with the South Kaohe Homestead Road. A graphic showing the route is available here.

A graphic (not to scale) representation of the road status in the East Rift Zone as of June 21, 2018 is available here.

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