LIHU‘E — The Wailua portion of the Ke Ala Hele Makalae, or the path that goes by the coast, was supposed to be completed Tuesday — a month later than the original deadline.
It will take at least two more months before the path is opened, according to county officials.
“Unforeseen utility complications at the Kuhio Highway/Papaloa Road intersection and, of course, the weather have caused delays on the Wailua portion of the path,” said county spokeswoman Mary Daubert, adding that the new expected completion date for the project is July 1.
She said work will continue with utility modifications, rock cladding on the wall, landscaping and the final stretch of the path in that area.
The roughly 1,300 feet for the Wailua portion of the path cost around $1.9 million, according to Daubert.
“In all likelihood, the delay will result in an increase in costs for the path, but at this point, we don’t know how much,” she said.
Daubert said that since the project started in January, the Mayor’s Office has received few complaints related to traffic congestion caused specifically by work on the path in the Wailua area.
This is the second time the construction crosses a completion date given by the administration.
County officials announced in December that construction of the Wailua Beach portion of the path would be finished by March 29, and permanent stripping of the highway fronting the beach would be done by April 5.
Cultural pratictioners and some organizations, including the Kaua‘i Chapter of Sierra Club, opposed the project for cultural and environmental reasons.
Puhi resident James Alalem, 55, and Wailua resident Ray Catania, 62, were arrested on Feb. 6 for obstructing a construction site while trying to protect what they said was an altar marking heiau. The altar was removed March 13.
The administration said the opposition did not account for the project’s delays.
Daubert said on March 15 that the weather in January had caused delays, and the construction would be finished by the end of April.
When finished, the Wailua portion of the path will have a faux stone wall protecting pedestrians from traffic.
The path itself is made of a string of 8-feet-wide by 10-feet-long removable cement slabs weighing about 22,000 pounds each.
In case erosion threatens the state highway, the cement slabs would be removed to protect the highway.
• Léo Azambuja, staff writer, can be reached at 245-0452 or lazambuja@ thegardenisland.com.
