A new and much needed freeway on-ramp is opening soon.
It’s all part of the first phase of a state project.
The Makakilo interchange will open next Monday.
It will allow residents to skip going through Kapolei town and get straight onto the H-1 freeway instead.
"It’s one of many changes included in the Kapolei interchange complex the state hopes will alleviate traffic in the growing city of Kapolei.
"They’re going to have a straight shot on the H-1 freeway coming right off of Makakilo drive, it’s going to really free up some traffic not just on coming down this way but all through Kapolei town," says Daniel Meisenzahl, Department of Transportation spokesperson.
The Makakilo interchange is the first component of phase one already complete.
The price tag is $20 million dollars, 94 percent of the money is federally funded.
But as one on-ramp opens, another will have to close to complete phase one.
"The Farrington highway overpass is going to be closed so people who are used to going in that direction to get into Kapolei town it’s going to be closed for the next 3-4 months," says Meisenzahl.
"If they’re going to close it then they’ll open it again that’ll be great then it won’t congest two sides coming into Kapolei," says Aunty Nani of Nanakuli.
The state hopes to have phase 1 of the project completed by october of this year.
Once the project is complete Farrington highway overpass will give drivers two options to either go onto the H-1 freeway or come straight into Kapolei town.
Drivers who use the area say the change is needed to ease the pain of their commute.
"It will make traffic through Kapolei a lot easier it will flow it’ll cut time short trying to get into Waianae or Ko’olina for everybody in Makakilo," says Chayne Williams, Makakilo resident.
"Some inconveniences coming up but ultimately when it’s all said and done it’s really really going to help traffic everywhere coming from almost every artery in this area," says Meisenzahl.
Drivers can start using the Makakilo interchange on May 16.
On that same day, the Farrington highway overpass will close, so drivers will have to find an alternate route to Kapolei town.
See the original article at: KHON2 Local News
