West Hawaii Traffic Advisory for December 29th, 2020
Queen Kaahumanu Highway (Highway 19) Resurfacing Project will continue into January 2021.
Published by: HIRSC - Hawaii Island (Holualoa) Team
info@hiradioscannercommunity.com
The Queen Kaahumanu Highway Resurfacing Project that started on Monday, December 7th, 2020 will continue into January 2021, and West Hawaii motorists can continue to anticipate delays to continue during work hours (Monday through Friday from 8:30 am to 3:00 pm, sometimes later depending on day progress).
State of Hawaii Department of Transportation (HDOT) officials is aware of the traffic backlog being created by the repaving work and working with paving contractors to making adjustments to the contra-flow patterns to help lessen the traffic backlog.
Officials say the repaving project is approximately 50 percent complete, with the repaving northbound (Waikoloa bound) lane nearing the 90-mile marker on Tuesday afternoon (December 29th).
Paving work is expected to be completed by mid-January 2021 (weather permitting) and striping work to follow a short time after.
Based on HIRSC - Hawaii Island Team who traversed the area during the work hours say the delays were approximately 15 to 25 minutes, depending on the time of the day. Traffic backlog from the repaving project was reported to have backed up to Kukio Nui Drive heading southbound and up to Kaiminani Drive heading northbound.
The HIRSC - Hawaii Island Team says one of the most helpful that West Hawaii motorists can use to plan ahead is using Google Maps. What our team members do to help see how backlogged traffic is set directions to Kohala Coast Resort from the Kailua-Kona area (or Vice-Versa) and see the overall travel time. In some cases, they found that using Queen Kaahumanu Highway with a traffic backlog was faster than using Highway 190 (Mamalahoa Highway).
The best thing that everyone should do is plan ahead.
Again as a friendly reminder, resurfacing work will be happening between the following mileposts and during the following hours/days (Area Illustration/Graphic Posted Above):
90-mile marker (North of Kekaha Kai State Park - Mahaiula Section)
to
92.6-mile marker (North of Keahole Airport Road intersection)
Work Hours: 7:30 am to 3:30 pm Monday through Friday.
HDOT has posted digital signs on the North and South sides of the work area advising drivers of the planned work. HDOT is also advising motorists who use Queen Kaahumanu Highway to anticipate delays during work days and hours and to plan ahead.
Resurfacing work is expected to wrap up in Mid-January 2021.