Honolulu city officials Tuesday launched a $13.76 million project to repave two heavily used and deteriorating Mililani roads, and Mayor Kirk Caldwell reaffirmed his commitment to a five-year plan to repave 1,500 miles of worn roads.
"We are repaving more roads than ever before," the mayor declared at a Mililani news conference, against a backdrop of heavy machinery digging up Meheula Parkway. "Now we are catching up."
Caldwell said his administration is ahead of target on a plan to repave 300 lane-miles per year for five years in order to repave all 1,500 lane-miles of city roads deemed unsatisfactory when he took office in January 2013.
Crews paved nearly 400 lane-miles of roads last year, Caldwell said, and they have already paved 78 lane-miles this year. That’s more lane-miles in the first quarter of 2014 than were paved in 2009 and in 2007, he said.
The goal is to address years of road repair neglect, when city streets were allowed to develop potholes, ruts and cracks under the strain of heavy traffic and wet weather. Forty-three percent of Honolulu’s roads were deemed substandard when Caldwell took office.
"The plan is to fix roads that are damaged and then maintain the ones in good shape so they don’t slip down," he said.
The city maintains more than 3,500 lane-miles of road.
Caldwell said he’s requested $140 million for paving this year, with work on Beretania Street one of the goals.
The newest project will take care of 31 lane-miles that make up Meheula Parkway and Anania Drive in Mililani.
"The poor road conditions on Meheula Parkway have been the source of considerable frustration for many residents," City Councilman Ron Menor said.
Caldwell said Menor deserves credit because he started pushing for the Meheula project as soon as he became mayor.
Following Tuesday’s news conference, crews from contractor Grace Pacific began scraping the old pavement off the surface of Meheula to prepare it for new asphalt that will be laid down beginning next week. One short portion of Meheula, from Ainamakua Drive to Koolani Drive, will not be part of the project because it was paved in 2007 and remains in good condition.
The project is expected to be completed by the end of the year, officials said.
Menor, who represents Mililani town, and Council Chairman Ernie Martin, who represents Mililani Mauka, will sponsor a town meeting regarding the paving project Wednesday, 7 to 8:30 p.m., in Mililani Uka Elementary School’s cafeteria, 94-380 Kuahelani Ave.
