The Hawaii County Department of Public Works has been working on establishing new routes on Kalaniana‘ole Street to alleviate daytime traffic as roadwork in the area continues.
After monitoring traffic over the past week, Public Works has determined the traffic congestion in Keaukaha has been caused by the closure of Banyan Way, school traffic, barge pick-ups at the harbor, cruise ships and an overflow of beachgoers, according to a county press release.
As a result, Banyan Way is opened for one-way traffic, turning right off of Kalaniana‘ole Street, to alleviate the traffic out of Keaukaha. A police officer is now positioned at the intersection during business hours.
Officers will also be positioned at Silva Street and another at the merge lane by the Verna’s stop light to help traffic flow by having cars drive straight through the Kanoelehua Avenue intersection and turn at the next intersection at Manono Street.
An alternative option for traffic turning left onto Kanoelehua Avenue from Kalaniana‘ole is to use Kea‘a Street, then Kamehameha Avenue, and come out on Old General Lyman Field Road by Pono’s Used Cars.
Weather permitting, the Kalaniana‘ole Street rehabilitation project is scheduled to be completed by December, according to Public Works.