Administration

LIHUE – The Hawaii Department of Transportation (HDOT) informs Kauai residents of a suspension of night work due to the start of Shearwater fledgling season.  On Monday, Sept. 13 pavement reconstruction and resurfacing work of Kuhio Highway (Route 56), between Kapuna Road and Wailapa Road, will switch to daytime hours.

The updated working hours will be from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m, Monday – Friday. Digital message boards reflecting the shift from night to day work were deployed Thursday, Sept. 9. For the duration of the work, a single lane closure will be in place with traffic alternating through the open lane.

Artificial lights can affect young seabirds leaving their nests for the first time, causing them to collide with structures, become confused or exhausted, and leaving them grounded and vulnerable to predators and vehicles. By shifting this work to daytime hours HDOT is doing its part to minimize impacts to Kauai’s Shearwater population.

This daytime work will be ongoing through October and possibly into November, weather permitting. The public is cautioned to anticipate delays and drive with caution through the work zone.

For those interested in receiving announcement of scheduled lane closures and other public notices from HDOT, sign up at: https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/hidot/subscriber/new.