Restriping project on Keaau-Pahoa Road finished

Keaau-Pahoa Road is now reopen after several months of work to widen the roadway ended Tuesday.

The project, which began Oct. 21, was primarily a restriping project, with road stripes being repainted and rumble strips removed to accommodate a fourth lane on Highway 130 between Keaau and Shower Drive in Puna.

The restriping project was initially proposed in March 2017. Shortly after, the state budget allocated $40 million for additional improvements to Highway 130, including a proposed actual widening of the road surface.

The completion of the restriping coincided with a separate project to install a new traffic signal at the intersection of Shower Drive and Highway 130. The signal became operational Tuesday as well.

The traffic signal was part of a greater project to improve the intersection of Highway 130 and Shower Drive that began in January and cost $4 million.