LIHUE — State Department of Transportation officials say they are fine tuning plans to begin reconstruction work on Nawiliwili Road in front of Kukui Grove Center early next year. They say a specific half-mile stretch of roadway from Kaumualii Highway
LIHUE — State Department of Transportation officials say they are fine tuning plans to begin reconstruction work on Nawiliwili Road in front of Kukui Grove Center early next year.
They say a specific half-mile stretch of roadway from Kaumualii Highway to Kanani Street is rapidly deteriorating because of heavy use and an outdated drainage system.
Others agree, and say the work is overdue.
Thomas Yamauchi, who lives behind Nawiliwili Road, says a drain inlet at the back of his house continually clogs up nearly every time it rains heavily. In one particular case, he said the excess rainwater overflowed onto his property.
“Ever since then, I’m out there every time it rains no matter what time it is,” Yamauchi said. “When the rain reaches here, I’m in my raincoat and use my hoe to clear the inlet.”
State transportation officials, however, say a $10 million project to install sidewalk improvements, upgrade roadway drainage systems and redo a large portion of Nawiliwili Road should solve some of those problems.
“When we’re done, you’re going to have a sidewalk that will allow you to walk from the front of the mall, go up the sides, go up past Costco and make a loop back up along Kaumualii Highway on the sidewalk,” state Department of Transportation Kauai District Engineering Program Manager Ray McCormick said at a recent public meeting at Kukui Grove Center. “We’re proud of this project and it’s going to be a fun one.”
About 80 percent of the project will be funded by the federal government while the remaining 20 percent will be paid by the state.
Current plans call for the installation of 5-foot wide bike lanes, 8-foot wide sidewalks and 11-foot wide travel lanes on both sides of Nawiliwili Road. Currently, sidewalks only line on one side of roadway.
“What we’re doing is that we’re embracing Complete Streets, which means that we’re trying to get a blend and make it safer for bicyclists, pedestrians and cars to safely use the right of way,” Bow Engineering and Development, Inc. President Bill Bow said.
A rectangular rapid flashing beacon, he added, is also planned to be installed at the intersection of Kukui Grove Street, similar to one located in front of the Lihue Post Office on Rice Street, to help pedestrians cross Nawiliwili Road safely.
“At Kukui Grove Street, there’s no traffic light and it’s not really safe for pedestrians who are crossing the street,” Bow said. “That’s an uncivilized intersection, but to help the pedestrians cross the street, we’ll have a push button where it will start flashing and warn drivers.”
Open drainages swales will be removed and 24 new catch basins will be created to pick up the flow of rain water along Nawiliwili Road. About 3,000 feet of drainage pipes, Bow added, will also be installed to address ponding issues in the area.
New traffic signals will be also installed at the Haleko Street and Pikake Street intersections., Bow said.
Construction, which is slated to begin in either January or February 2015, is proposed to occur in four phases over five months.
During that time, one lane of traffic in each direction would remain open on Nawiliwili Road.
The goal, Bow said, is to finish the project and have the roadway completely reopened by June 2015.
A second public meeting will be in October.
