Ewa Gentry
Ewa Gentry, HI · Traffic & Transit
hoodline.com
Honolulu Tsunami Panic: City Says Most Drivers Didn’t Need To Flee
Oʻahu emergency officials say last July’s islandwide dash for higher ground during a Pacific-wide tsunami warning mostly did not need to happen. A newly released review of the response concludes that better public messaging and more emphasis on vertical evacuation could have kept many residents off already clogged roads. Despite long backups across highways and side streets, the waves caused no major damage and no deaths, and the report flags understaffing inside the Emergency Operations Center while urging clearer checklists and surge staffing for the next big scare.
hoodline.com
Paakea Road Turns Into Waist-Deep Lake as Waianae Officials Play Catch-Up
For weeks after March's Kona lows, Paʻakea Road on the Waiʻanae Coast was less a roadway and more a waist-deep canal. On a 2.7-mile stretch, about a mile of the road was impassable, cutting off residents and turning everyday errands into logistical puzzles. Locals say the flooding did not just swamp cars and homes, it laid bare years of unbuilt flood-control projects and unfunded studies that left evacuation routes and neighborhoods exposed.
KITV.com
Time-lapse video of temporary pedestrian bridge installation for H-1 widening near Kalihi
HONOLULU (Island News) -- The Hawaii Department of Transportation (HDOT) released a time-lapse video of the installation of a temporary pedestrian bridge at the Gulick Avenue overpass, part of the H-1 Freeway widening project. The H-1 Freeway was closed overnight from Saturday to Sunday morning this past weekend between the...
hawaiinewsnow.com
HART previews Kakaako rail construction, but some want more specific details
HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - Traffic disruptions have been an unavoidable part of the city’s Skyline construction. And those disruptions are about to come to Halekauwila Street, at the tail end of the rail project’s third phase. “I’m concerned about hours they’re working, just so I can prepare myself mentally,...
hoodline.com
Honolulu Fee Cut Plan Puts Road Budget On The Firing Line
Honolulu drivers just inched a little closer to a break on their registration bills, but it could come with a big pothole in the city’s budget. On Wednesday, the Honolulu City Council’s Budget Committee advanced Bill 47, a proposal to trim the per-pound vehicle weight fee collected at registration. Supporters framed it as modest relief for residents feeling squeezed by Honolulu’s high cost of living, while city staff warned it could carve a multi-million-dollar chunk out of funding for street repairs and require pricey upgrades to an aging registration system. The panel voted to send the measure to the full council for a second reading in the coming weeks.
hawaiinewsnow.com
Halekauwila Street closures ahead as Skyline construction heads into Kakaako
HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - With construction on Honolulu’s Skyline rail system moving further into town, the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation warns traffic changes will soon begin along Halekauwila Street heading into Kakaʻako. HART CEO and executive director Lori Kahikina said additional closures will be required for the next...
hawaiinewsnow.com
KHON2
Broken pedestrian lights in McCully makes crossing the street a hazard
Residents of McCully, Oahu are forced to risk their safety when crossing S King Street due to broken pedestrian lights, prompting the City to replace them with solar-powered beacons within the next two months.
hinowdaily.com
hawaiinewsnow.com
Vision for Iwilei redevelopment keeps future Skyline station at its core
HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - As the Skyline rail project inches closer to town, major changes are taking shape for the Iwilei area with a focus on development centered around public transit. “We’re looking forward to breaking ground before the end of this administration, and with a three-year anticipated construction timeline will...
hawaiinewsnow.com
H-1 lane reopens after crews weld drain grate back into place
HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - The left eastbound lane of the H-1 Freeway is back open after crews reattached a drain grate, the state Transportation Department said Monday. The closure was first reported at around 2:15 p.m. before the Waimalu exit, causing traffic gridlock eastbound with backups past Manager’s Drive in Waipahu.
KITV.com
H-1 closure to install temporary pedestrian bridge
HONOLULU (Island News) -- The H-1 is expanding in hopes of reducing traffic and increasing safety. “Once we put this in place, we can get rid of that backup that occurs in that area. Because of the merge, you see a lot of weaving in this area. That weaving causes crashes at different points along the roadway. Want to get rid of weaving? Once we get rid of that, we can be safer as well,” said Ed Sniffen, the director Department of Transportation for Hawaii (DOT).
KITV.com
H-1 closure near Kalihi to install temporary pedestrian bridge
Construction crews closed the H-1 in both directions between the Middle Street merge and the Likelike Highway off-ramp from 8 p.m. Saturday until 8 a.m. Sunday. This is part of a major project aimed at easing congestion and improving safety.
KITV.com
Fallen guardrail onto S. King Street prompts safety concerns near Straub construction
A temporary guardrail fell from a high-rise Straub Benioff Medical Center construction project onto South King Street, damaging a protective canopy and closing the road for several hours. The contractor, Hawaiian Dredging Construction Company, said safety is its top priority as it reviews the incident.
hawaiinewsnow.com
Honolulu Civil Beat
The Sunshine Blog: You'll Never Believe Who's (Finally) Riding The Rail
If you can’t beat ’em: Honolulu City Council member Andria Tupola has long walked a tricky path when it comes to rail, or Skyline. She’s never condemned the transit project, which aims to give many of her Leeward Oʻahu constituents a smoother and more reliable ride into town. But she’s never exactly supported it, either.
hawaiinewsnow.com
Falling construction debris prompts road closure in Honolulu
HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - Falling construction debris prompted a road closure in Honolulu Wednesday. Photos sent to Hawaii News Now show construction materials hanging from the side of a building being constructed for Straub Benioff Medical Center on South King Street. A viewer told HNN they heard a loud boom and...
KHON2
Concrete issues at Civic Center parking lot causes concerns, forces closures of stalls
The Honolulu Civic Center parking structure is undergoing repairs to fix spalling, a common issue in Hawaii caused by water intrusion, which has already damaged cars and could be dangerous if not addressed promptly.