Part of Kamehameha highway will closed in both directions near Kilani and Whitmore Avenues to make repairs to bridge affected by environmental and age-related damage.
The bridge project will begin late Sunday night forcing many people traveling between Wahiawa and the North Shore to find a new route.
"I think its going to affect my commute no matter because Wahiawa is so backed up anyway so its going to definitely back us up even more over here," says Page Gathings, Wahiawa resident.
"I got to go around Wilikina Schofield then drop them off then I got to drop my wife at Dole plantation then I go all the way to Kahuku high school ," says David Lavarias, Whitmore Village resident.
The closure along Kamehameha highway is between Kilani and Whitmore Avenues for about six weeks, 24 hours a day.
"I think this is very bad for the business and for a lot of people that uses the bridge that never wants to drive around the whole military base," says Horacio Seixas, Pupukea resident.
"We do utilize the bridge quite often and being closed for six weeks its kind of going to put a damper on our weekend experience," says Norman Harding, Mililani resident.
The repairs are being made to address environmental and age-related damage.
"If its going to keep us safer i guess its okay I was hoping they could keep a lane or something open to keep us flowing," says Gathings.
The Department of Transportation says because there are no streetlights near the bridge–doing work only at night was not safe for crews.
And, because crews are working on the top of the bridge it wouldn’t be safe for cars to drive below while work is being done.
"We just gotta have patience and make sure you got all your things together because if you forget something at home oh my goodness," says Lavarias.
The bridge project is expected to take six weeks to complete.
After that… sidewalk maintenance on Wilikina Drive will begin.
See the original article at: KHON2 Local News
