Commuters making their way through Urban Honolulu in the next five years should take note: extended, around-the-clock lane closures of a major thoroughfare will be implemented during the ongoing construction of the Skyline rail system.
One lane of eastbound and westbound Nimitz Highway between ‘Awa and Bishop streets will be closed 24/7 from Aug. 18 through September 2030, for the duration of the City Center Guideway and Stations project, HART, or the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation, announced Friday.
HART — the public transit authority responsible for planning and building the rail system for the City and County of Honolulu — says that detours will be in place at the ‘Awa Street, Smith Street, Nu‘uanu Avenue, Bethel Street and Fort Street intersections, as needed.
Additionally, Iwilei Road between Kuwili Street and North King Street, and the westbound ramp from Nimitz Highway onto Iwilei Road may be closed, HART says.
Eastbound and westbound drivers should use other routes, including King and Beretania streets. HART also notes that resident and business access will be maintained.
An informational flyer from HART notes that noise levels may increase from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday due to the use of heavy equipment. Overnight work may also occur as needed from 8 p.m. to 4 a.m. And there may be additional lane closures and temporary traffic holds on Nimitz, as well.
A blessing and groundbreaking ceremony was held earlier this week at the future site of the Ka‘ākaukukui, or Civic Center, station in Kaka‘ako for the next phase of the project, the city center guideway and stations.
The CCGS project includes the construction of nearly three miles of elevated guideway and six rail stations, starting near the Kahauiki, or Middle Street Transit Center, station and ending at the Civic Center station, just east of the intersection of Halekauwila and South streets, a recent announcement from HART noted. Construction is expected to be finished by 2030.
The first part of the work will begin in the Iwilei area and includes drilling shafts for the columns that will support the guideway, HART said in the announcement.
Utility work for this third segment of the rail has been underway for the last two years, but HART Executive Director and CEO Lori Kahikina told Aloha State Daily earlier this week that the hope is that the utilities will be finished in the Downtown Honolulu area by the end of the year and the Dillingham corridor by next summer.
More information about the rail project can be found at HonoluluTransit.org. You can also sign up for HART's weekly eBlast newsletter.
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Stephanie Salmons can be reached at stephanie@alohastatedaily.com.
