HANALEI — It’s no joke: Scheduled intermittent closures on Kuhio Highway between Hanalei Plantation Road and Ohiki Road will occur on April 1.
The 1.6-acre construction zone will require both directions of Kuhio Highway to intermittently close from the Hanalei Fire Station to the Hanalei Bridge for 30 minutes at the bottom of the hour beginning Tuesday at 8:30 a.m. through Wednesday, April 2, at 4 p.m., for necessary construction work.
The Hawaii Department of Transportation (HDOT) is prioritizing public safety by implementing half-hour closures to allow the helicopter crew to place wire mesh on the hillside to anchor loose soil.
On Monday, Shelly Kunishige with the HDOT provided an update regarding the Hanalei Hill Slope Stabilization Project, which is on target for completion in November 2025. She mentions that over the past 20 months, more than 16,000 cubic yards of debris and unstable soil have been successfully removed from the slope.
She adds, “Remaining work on Hanalei Hill includes the installation of the high-tensile steel mesh requiring the intermittent full closures tomorrow (Tuesday) and Wednesday, ” said Kunishige, “Additional drainage installations to direct the water from the 1800s irrigation tunnel, repaving of Route 560 between the fire station and the bridge, installation of guardrail and fencing for safety, and landscaping with local plants— This work is expected to be substantially completed in July.”
“Crews have completed the installation of 878 soil nails to anchor the face of the slope to the more stable, deeper structures within. Crews have also completed drainage improvements at the site of the March 2021 landslide to reduce the effect of water on the soil structures of the slope,” she said.
The Kauai Bus will operate a special Hanalei shuttle on both days, transporting commuters to and from the Hanalei Neighborhood Center to the Princeville Shopping Center to help ease congestion. The shuttle will run from 7:15 a.m. to 8:15 p.m. and connect with the 400 Hanalei to Lihue line and the 500 Lihue to Hanalei routes.
In an emergency, first responders will be prioritized through the construction zone should access be needed.
Kunishige added that HDOT “Appreciates the patience of the North Shore community as they ensure the sole route for their communities is reliable and safe.”
To view the full schedule of HDOT’s road closures at Hanalei Hill or for further information regarding road work on Kauai, please visit the department’s website at https://hidot.hawaii.gov/highways/roadwork.
For more information on bus routes and the Hanalei shuttle, visit thekauaibus@kauai.gov or call (808) 246-8110.
