Major lane closures due to rail construction begin Sunday

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - In just a few days rail construction will begin above Ft. Weaver Road.

Officials want to remind drivers to keep their eyes on the highway saying look ahead not overhead. Honolulu rail isn't expected to be up and running until 2018 but this week marks a milestone for the project.

"Just where that truss has been constructed we passed the 3-mile mark in the construction for our guide way," said Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation executive director Dan Grabauskas.

Soon thousands of drivers will be passing underneath an active construction site during their commute. "It's pretty stunning to see a crane on top of a guide way. To see the men and women up there doing the construction activity. We just urge everyone to drive with caution," said Grabauskas.

Starting this June 28 the Fort Weaver Road/Kunia Road overpass near Waipahu and Ewa will be shut Sunday through Thursday for rail construction.

On those days the southbound direction of the overpass will be closed from 9 pm to 4 am. The northbound direction will shut down a little earlier starting at 8 pm. It will reopen at 3 am. Officials say those lane closures will last two weeks.

This isn't the only place drivers will notice activity.

"We will be closing the balanced cantilever portion that's over the H-1 H-2 merge. Then we'll be continuing that on the Makua and Makai side of the active work zone and connecting that at the Leeward Community College side and connecting it over on the Pearl Island side," said Grabauskas.

Officials say you can expect to see that work to begin in the next four to eight weeks. For updates on construction work days and times call Honolulu's Transit hotline at 566-2299.

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