LIHUE — County of Kauai officials say they will close the dirt parking lot that runs along Nawiliwili Stream and behind the Anchor Cove Shopping Center next week for a two-day pothole repair project.
For some Kalapaki Beach users, the news couldn’t come soon enough.
“Yes,” said Pandora Christian at the pothole-filled parking lot on Tuesday. “It’s eating my car up.”
Department of Parks and Recreation Director Lenny Rapozo said the closure will take place Feb. 17-18 and repair potholes in the parking lot that were last filled about five years ago.
County Department of Public Works employees will be filling in the potholes with crushed coral. The cost of the materials for the project is about $7,300.
“Good,” said Chelsea Pabo of Lihue, reacting to the news. “It’s been like this for super long. I’ve been coming here since I was small and it’s always been bumpy.”
Chris Jensen, of Independence, Oregon, said when he first saw the parking lot after arriving, the only thing he could think about was “a truckload of rocks” that would be needed to fix it.
“I’m glad to see they’re doing something about this,” he said.
No vehicles will be allowed to park in the area starting at 6 a.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 17. Signs will be also posted to notify the public about the temporary closure.
“I hope they don’t move the pohaku,” said one local, who went by Kimo. “The potholes are natural speed bumps. Mother Nature has her own way of dealing with people who speed. Even if the cars scrape, they slow down.”
In November, the county resurfaced the Kealia Beach Park parking lot.
The $21,000 project graded the 58,000-square-foot lot over several phases.
Info: 241-4460.
