Portion of Hawaii Island’s Highway 132 to reopen this week

HONOLULU, Hawaii (HawaiiNewsNow) -More than a year after lava consumed a portion of Highway 132 on Hawaii Island, county officials announced the roadway will reopen this week.

Mayor Kim announced the route will be opened Wednesday at noon.

The 2018 Kilauea eruption covered about three miles of the highway in Pahoa. Crews have been working tirelessly to restore access from an area near the Puna Geothermal Venture to the area known as Four Corners.

Work was supposed to be finished last month, but pockets of hardened lava rock were discovered with temperatures too high to safely complete the task.

Some areas were found to be at temperatures between 400 and 700 degrees Fahrenheit.

The federal government is providing $6.5 million to cover the entire cost of the project.

Highway 132 reopens Wednesday, November 27 at noon. Mahalo, Hawaii County Public Works, and Happy Thanksgiving! pic.twitter.com/tQb9EVgwgZ
— Mayor Harry Kim (@MayorHarryKim) November 27, 2019