Highways

LIHUE – A cultural gathering was held Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2018 near the Waioli Stream Bridge in Hanalei, Kauai. The gathering was jointly organized by the Hawaii Department of Transportation (HDOT), Hanalei Roads Committee and native Hawaiian organization Hui Hoomalu I Ka Aina to celebrate the rich history of the Waioli, Waipa and Waikoko Stream Bridges.

The Waioli, Waipa and Waikoko Stream Bridges, often referred to locally as the 3 Ws, are concrete bridges built as part of the Kauai Belt Road system in 1912 (Waioli and Waipa) and 1913 (Waikoko). In order to create a safer facility and aid road recovery efforts, HDOT plans to rehabilitate Waioli Stream Bridge and replace the Waipa and Waikoko Bridges. The 3 Ws are currently ranked at number three (Waikoko); number four (Waipa); and number 26 (Waioli) on HDOT’s priority list for bridges in need of upgrade or repair.

Repair of the 3 Ws is necessary to bring in heavy materials for the Kuhio Highway Emergency Repairs such as the two-ton boulders needed to complete the revetment walls designed to prevent future slope failure at the roadway stabilization areas at mile points 4.5, 6.2, and 6.3. Design of the revetment walls, which have been completed with the exception of the foot of slope installation, can be seen here (Site 1) and here (Site 2).

The initial target for completion of work and reopening of Kuhio Highway between Waikoko and Wainiha was late 2018. After accounting for weather-related delays and consideration of environmental and community concerns, HDOT is now targeting early 2019 for reopening of the road.

A chart showing remaining work needed to reopen the road without convoys and completion targets is available at this link.

Road closures, including weekend closures with ferry access, may be scheduled after the early 2019 timeframe. The estimated completion date for the bridge work on the 3 Ws is Spring 2019. Advance notice of road closures will go out via HDOT’s lane closure notices and the Kuhio Highway Emergency Repairs mailing list. Community members can sign up for the mailing list here.

Total cost for the Kuhio Highway Emergency Repairs from the historic April flood is estimated at $77.2 million. Approximately 90-percent of the repair cost will be covered through the Federal Highway Administration’s Emergency Relief program, which assists states with repair and/or reconstruction costs from extraordinary damage due to natural disasters.

Approximately $13.1 of the $16.4 million required to repair the 3 Ws will be covered by federal funds.

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