Question: Why is it taking so long to rebuild the Kalapawai Roundabout? This project has been underway for years. It’s great that they’re done with Phase 5, but there are four more phases to go — to redo a traffic circle that was working OK as it was.
Answer: You are one of several readers asking why it’s taken so long to upgrade an interim roundabout installed in 2018 at South Kalaheo Avenue and Kailua Road fronting Kalapawai Market, a busy intersection where bicyclists and pedestrians cross the road that cars also use to get to and from Kailua Beach and Lanikai.
Once it was clear the pilot project improved traffic flow as intended, construction began in late 2022 on a permanent, upgraded roundabout that was to be finished in 2024. Work on Phase 6 (of 9) began last week and the project is now expected to wrap up in summer 2025. We asked Honolulu’s Department of Transportation Services what caused the delays.
Here’s the emailed response from DTS spokesperson Travis Ota:
“Delays in projects such as the Kalapawai Roundabout are not uncommon. For this project, the City has faced delays, especially for a project on an active roadway. Much of the construction required extensive underground work for utility relocations and drainage. Some of the delays include:
“Weather-related issues: Heavy rains or rough weather cause delays, especially when flooding occurs near the work site. For the safety of construction crews and equipment, the project may be put on hold until the weather gets better.
“Iwi Kupuna: Iwi Kupuna, or ancient Hawaiian remains, are found all over Hawaii. It is by law that once Iwi Kupuna have been found in a construction site, that proper action needs to take place in order to respect cultural values of family and burial. The City takes these findings very seriously, and proper action must be, and has been taken, to respect cultural sensitivity around these findings.
“Utilities: A lot of utilities such as gas lines, water laterals, were not properly documented in historic times. This leads to utility relocations from other agencies and businesses that hinder construction activities.
“Miscellaneous: The City paused construction for the summer (June and July), so that local businesses in the area would not be affected by traffic or construction.
“DTS wants to give a big mahalo to the Lanikai-Kailua community for their patience with this project. Once complete, the roundabout will include raised crosswalks, a shared-use path with permeable pavers, a pedestrian walkway, improved and relocated bus stops, rain gardens with concrete sidewalks, and informational signage. This roundabout will improve safety by reducing vehicle speeds, safer pedestrian and bicycle crossings/pathways, and improved stormwater drainage.”
For more information, see kalapawaiproject.com/, which says the roundabout is operational during Phase 6 construction, although Kailua Road toward Kailua Beach Park is one-way, makai-bound only. The mauka-bound lane of Kailua Road fronting Kalapawai Market is closed during this phase, which is expected to last until the end of January.
Q: I hate to be a Grinch but could you please remind people to chill out? Beating another car to a prime parking space is not worth a fender-bender, or worse.
A: We’ll let readers do the talking, as Kokua Line has received a flurry of “Auwes” about impatient drivers, shoppers and other rude folks this holiday season. Here are a few:
>> Auwe to the person who took my full shopping cart at Costco and left their cart, which was nearly empty. I don’t think this was an honest mistake because I had one of the store’s last evergreen wreaths in my cart. I found my cart abandoned by the mattresses, far from where I had left it momentarily outside the chiller to get milk and eggs. Everything was still in it except the wreath. Not cool! — A reader
>> On Dec. 13 at 8 a.m., I went to the airport post office to mail a Christmas card to Japan. Two women with many packages were at the two self-service postal machines. There was one woman waiting in line, I was the second person and another woman who was expecting stood behind me with her 18-month-old daughter. We waited for our turn for about 20 minutes and a man approached and stood behind the woman on the second postal machine instead of waiting in the general line with the rest of us. When that woman finished her business and left, he went up to use the machine, completely disregarding the three of us waiting in line. How rude and uncaring can you be, especially at this time of year? Whatever happened to the Golden Rule, “do unto others as you would like them to do unto you.” Kama‘aina don’t treat others so rudely as you did. Shame on you! — Disgruntled kama‘aina
>> Auwe to the woman driving the red Kia who was tailgating me on the H-1 Kinau Street off-ramp on Dec. 14. I motioned for you to back off as not to get rear-ended. You responded with a prolonged middle finger before speeding off. Cool down before you kill someone. Show at least a semblance of aloha. — Philip
To end the column on a happier note …
Mahalo
Mahalo to my Secret Santa at Kapahulu Safeway on Monday, who so kindly paid for my groceries and packed them in my bag. It made me cry since I don’t see that kind of genuine kindness in the world anymore. Hope you have a Merry Christmas and great New Year! — L.Y.
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Write to Kokua Line at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Suite 2-200, Honolulu, HI 96813; call 808-529-4773; or email kokualine@staradvertiser.com.
