Those weekend road closures along the H-1 freeway westbound between Aiea and Pearl City will continue today and Sunday.
The good news: Weather permitting, there won’t be a need to close the lanes next week as originally scheduled, according to Ed Sniffen, deputy state transportation director.
The big one is from 6 p.m. Saturday until 6 p.m. Sunday: Two to three right lanes of H-1 westbound between the Pearl City/Waimalu offramp (Exit 10) to the H1-H2 Interchange will be closed for “micropiling” work to strengthen drain boxes in the area, Sniffen said. Lanes might open up before 6 p.m. Sunday if the micropile foundations have developed enough strength, he said.
In addition, two left lanes on the H-1 in the eastbound direction between the Pearlridge/Waimalu offramp and the Aiea Heights Drive overpass wll be closed at 6:30 p.m. Saturday. A third lane will be closed at 7:30 p.m., with all lanes reopening at 6 a.m. Sunday.
The closure also will allow for a separate pavement improvement project to take place in the same area at the same time, Sniffen said. The asphalt-concrete project is necessary to make the road more at grade, he said. Subsequently, concrete pavement will be placed on top, he said.
Continuous closures are necessary to allow the concrete to cure properly, HDOT said. During curing periods, most personnel and equipment will vacate work sites, but lanes will remain closed as the concrete hardens. Electronic message boards will be posted, and special-duty police officers will be on-site to assist with traffic control.
The Waipahu offramp (Exit 8B) will be closed during the same hours, 6 p.m. Saturday through 6 p.m. Sunday.
Motorists will be able to access the Pearl City/Waimalu offramp (Exit 10) from H-1, but there will be no dedicated exit lane because crews will be working on the shoulder.
The drain box work has already closed lanes on two previous weekends, but the contractor is doubling up the work this weekend, negating the need for work to take place next weekend, Sniffen said.
“We’re doubling up the forces, doubling up the equipment to make sure we can deliver everything in this last shift,” he said.
Meanwhile there’s a third project affecting westbound traffic this weekend.
Three right lanes of H-1 westbound between the Halawa Interchange and the Pearl City/Waimalu offramp (Exit 10) will shut down from 6 p.m. tonight until 10:15 a.m. Sunday for shoulder work and concrete pavement rehabilitation.
Electronic message boards will be posted, and special-duty police officers will be on-site to assist with traffic control.
Weekly roadwork updates are available on the HDOT website and its social media channels on Facebook and Twitter.
