Pali Highway work requires temporary lane shift and lane closures

Posted on Apr 18, 2019 in Highways Posts, Main, News

HONOLULU – The Hawaii Department of Transportation (HDOT) is alerting the public of additional lane closures and a lane shift on the Pali Highway to complete improvements to the roadway.

Kailua/Kaneohe bound direction lane shift (weekdays from 3-7 p.m. excluding holidays)

The Pali Highway accessible hours will remain the same, however the lanes will shift temporarily during the afternoon hours to allow crews to remove an 1,800-foot section of pavement in the right lane of the Kailua bound (outbound) direction near Upper Nuuanu Pali Drive (near the Nuuanu Reservoir). The right lane will be closed 24/7 beginning April 22 to May 3, 2019, weather permitting, which will require a lane shift during the hours the Pali Highway is accessible to the public.

Beginning at the Upper Nuuanu Pali Drive intersection the left lane of the Kailua bound direction will crossover and shift into the left lane of the Honolulu bound direction. The right lane will shift into the left lane and remain on the Kailua bound side.

Vehicles will be shifted back before entering the tunnels and there will be two continuous lanes through the tunnels. The vehicles in the Honolulu bound direction will crossover and continue in the left lane of the Kailua bound direction. The vehicles in the left lane of the Kailua bound direction will shift to the right lane.

Drivers should follow the directions of the cones and signage throughout the route to travel through the area. To view a graphic of the temporary lane shift crossover please click here. To view a graphic of the temporary crossover back to the Kailua bound lanes click here.

Honolulu bound direction (weekdays from 5-9 a.m. excluding holidays)

The morning contraflow lanes in the Honolulu bound (inbound) direction remain unchanged.

Left lane closure in Kailua bound direction:

Beginning April 29, 2019 HDOT will install a 4,000-foot concrete drainage gutter and curb on the left side of the Pali Highway after the Waokanaka Street intersection in the Kailua bound (outbound) direction. To safely and efficiently complete the work crews will close the left lane weekdays from 3-7 p.m. for six to eight weeks, weather permitting, leaving two accessible lanes to the public. To view a graphic of the lane closure area please click here.

Full closure from Wyllie Street to Pauoa Road in Honolulu bound direction:

Beginning April 29, 2019, all Honolulu bound lanes of the Pali Highway between Wyllie Street and Pauoa Road will be closed Sunday through Thursday nights from 6:30 p.m. to 2:30 a.m.

Motorists will be detoured at Wyllie Street and continue makai/south bound on Nuuanu Avenue, then turn left (Diamond Head/east) on Pauoa Road, then right (makai/south) on Funchal Street to reconnect with the Pali Highway. To view a map of the detour route please click here.

The left lane in the Kailua bound direction will also be closed from 8:30 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. between Pauoa Road and Wyllie Street. Depending on construction activities, there may be a few occasions when a one lane closure in both directions may be necessary from 2:30-5 a.m.

The closures are necessary to install a new concrete median barrier with street lights and are anticipated to continue through August 2019. The work hours coincide with existing hours the Pali Highway is closed for traffic from windward Oahu. Crews are trying to maximize the amount of work we complete in a short amount of time while the Pali Highway remains closed and traffic volumes are significantly reduced through the area.

The public is encouraged to check traffic conditions using GoAkamai.org or any resource of their choice before starting their trip.

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