Nanakuli Turn Lane Update from the Department of Transportation
During the turning lanes project, we have encountered several major discrepancies between the as-built drawings that our designer depended on for the project, and the actual locations of existing utility lines.
Therefore, our physical construction was directly in conflict with water, sewer and utility lines.
For example, a fiber optic communication line (AT&T) was located very near the revised sewer line alignment. The excavation for the new sewer line would have exposed nearly 70 feet of the AT&T line and undermined the supporting soil. Damaging the line would effectively disrupt communications on the Leeward side of the island and the AT&T inspector warned the contractor that repairs will cost $5000/minute.
Additional work to support the AT&T line as the sewer line trench excavation progressed was considered too problematic and the risk of damaging the AT&T line was too great. The contractor was directed to stop work on the sewer line installation in the roadway and continue with work in the shoulder area until the designers develop an approved revised alignment plan.
These discrepancies were found over large areas which required frequent work stoppage of night work, re-assessment of the design plans, re-design by the designers, and re-approval of the revised design by the City & County Department of Planning and Permitting (DPP) before construction work could resume.
Our designers have since developed a new sewer line alignment plan and have presented the plan to DPP for approval. We expect to have the approvals to move forward within the next couple of weeks. This approval is necessary for us to move forward with the nighttime excavation work within the travel way.
Therefore, we will not move forward with our night work until we have the proper approvals. In the interim, we will continue to perform the project work that does not impact the travel lanes. Our contractor has been working on the improvements behind the barriers until they can finalize schedules with DPP and their subcontractors. We will be meeting with Kaikor Construction Company to discuss the delays and how they intend to push the project forward as efficiently as possible.
The updated project schedule currently shows a completion date of April 2017. However, this date will be discussed to see if we can move things up faster.
As an extension of this current project, the Highways Division has initiated a study to extend the turning lane widening project to Hakimo Road. The study is intended to give us the justification to utilize federal funds to push the planning, design and construction forward. With the processes that are required, it would take 5 years to deliver the turning lane improvements if we can justify the extension to Hakimo Road to the federal government.
To ensure that we get some relief to the Leeward Coast community sooner, our traffic branch has been working with the City Administration and with your State legislators to develop some operational improvements to improve travel through some of the daily bottlenecks that you all encounter. We will complete our operational reviews at the end of January, and will meet with area legislators to discuss the recommendations before connecting with the community.
We will work to improve the quality of life for you, your ohana, and your neighbors. I will work to be more proactive on our messaging to you and the rest of the community.
Happy New Year,
Ed Sniffen
Highways Division
Department of Transportation
ph: 587-2156
Mahalo Maile Shimabukuro for providing us with this information.
