Traveling in and out of downtown Kapolei’s center got easier for motorists Wednesday with the opening of the first phase of the H-1 freeway Kapolei Interchange.

The state Department of Transportation project, which began in July 2009, creates a new interchange at the mauka end of Wakea Street, between Consolidated Theatres Kapolei 16 and Zippy’s.

The portion opened Wednesday allows motorists to:

» Enter the H-1 freeway eastbound or Honolulu-bound, via the new onramp.

» Connect onto Farrington Highway, westbound, or Waianae-bound, near the Wet’n’Wild water park, via the same onramp.

» Get off the H-1 freeway into Kapolei via the Wakea offramp when coming from the Leeward Coast.

» Get off Farrington Highway and head either onto the H-1 eastbound or head eastbound into Kapolei via Wakea.

The new interchange should relieve traffic along Kamokila and Kalaeloa boulevards. It also will draw traffic to the center of downtown away from the heavily used freeway interchanges at Makakilo Drive/Fort Barrette Road to the east and Kalaeloa Boulevard to the west.

The project cost $18.7 million, 94 percent of which came from federal funding. The rest, including the donation of 7.8 acres of land, came from Kapolei Property Development LLC, the successor to the James Campbell Co., and local utility companies.

Earlier this year, the state completed an onramp from Makakilo Drive at the Makakilo Interchange to the H-1 freeway westbound, and created a new offramp onto Farrington Highway just before Wet’n’Wild.

Makakilo resident Mike Golojuch said he’s pleased to see the interchange finally open.

"Everybody’s been waiting for it," said Golojuch, who chairs the Citizen Advisory Committee for the Oahu Metropolitan Planning Organization. "It’s another way for people to get in and out of Kapolei without needing to get in near Target or through Makakilo Drive."

Golojuch said additional improvements are needed, however.

A second phase, expected to begin construction in mid-2013, will include allowing westbound motorists to exit at the new interchange.

Future phases are also planned.