Work beginning tomorrow on a project to create a new right-turn lane on the Kinau Street off-ramp will close one lane in the Koko Head direction on the H-1 Freeway, the Department of Transportation said.

The work to widen the off-ramp will close the left lane of the freeway from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Eventually motorists will be able to get to Lusitania Street from the off-ramp once the right turn lane is finished. The new route will also offer ambulances an alternative to get to the Queen’s Medical Center.

The $8.8 million project is anticipated to be completed next year. 

"We apologize to our neighbors for any temporary inconvenience this construction will cause," said Art Ushijima, president of Queen’s Medical Center.  "However, we believe that in the long term, the Ward area and our entire island community will benefit by having another route to our Emergency Department and hospital."

For more information, call the Kinau Street Off-Ramp Improvement hotline at 585-5048.