The state detective work into Hawaii’s hepatitis A outbreak just got a needed boost, with the arrival of three workers from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Having the extra sets of hands and eyes to collect and analyze the formidable amount of data is welcome.

The 135 cases total Hawaii’s worst hep A outbreak in nearly two decades, stretching across the four main islands.

State epidemiologist Dr. Sarah Park expressed cautious optimism that the investigation is closing in on a suspected source of the outbreak.

Let’s hope so. After all, the CDC trio will be here for only a couple weeks and the hep A focus is shorting other public- health efforts — namely, against Zika, dengue and the flu.

Let the traffic flow on west side

Aug. 10, 2016: This is the date long-suffering Waianae Coast commuters finally get a little rush-hour help.

A contra-flow project on Farrington Highway will give westbound drivers an extra lane, starting at Piliokahi Avenue and extending almost to Nanaikeola Street.

Of course, adding a lane is a stop-gap measure that can’t entirely offset the huge increase in traffic the west side has experienced in the past decade. But it’s a start.

Word to the wise: The hours of 3:30-7:30 p.m. on weekdays would be a bad time to plan a quick jaunt eastward, between Helelua Street and and Nanakuli Avenue in particular. There are no left turns allowed there. Whatever it is, it can wait.