PUHI — A six-acre lot in Grove Farm’s Puhi Industrial Park subdivision is to become the new, consolidated home of state Department of Transportation (DOT) Highways Division Kaua’i facilities. Currently, the Kapa’a baseyard is headquarters for road crews responsible for
PUHI — A
six-acre lot in Grove Farm’s Puhi Industrial Park subdivision is to become the
new, consolidated home of state Department of Transportation (DOT) Highways
Division Kaua’i facilities.
Currently, the Kapa’a baseyard is headquarters
for road crews responsible for pavement from Mana to Ha’ena, including Koke’e,
while district offices are in the State Building in Lihu’e.
The new
facility, which is being designed now, will include a building costing between
$8 million and $9 million, and improvements that would bring the total cost to
$12 million.
The new move will enhance communications, as all DOT Highways
Division operations will have headquarters in the new location, explained Steve
Kyono, district engineer with the DOT Highways Division.
The new location
will mean shorter drive times for the Westside crew which maintains state roads
from Lihu’e to Mana (including Koke’e), and will mean longer drive times for
the Eastside crew that maintains roads from Lihu’e to Ha’ena, Kyono
said.
The new district office and baseyard complex here will consist of an
administration building, visitor and employee parking, materials testing
building, maintenance building, equipment and vehicle parking area, mechanic
shop, service platform, vehicle wash area, fuel station, and stockpile area for
materials storage.
Various permits are needed before the project can move
forward, but Kyono expects construction to begin later this year.
On other
items, the DOT announced that the $5.4 million Lihu’e gateway beautification
project at Ahukini Road and Kapule Highway near Lihu’e Airport will begin
today, June 5.
Work includes landscaping, drainage, concrete curbs, masonry
walls, irrigation lines, lighting, entry wall signs and traffic
control.
Motorists are advised to use caution while driving through the
work area, and to allow for extra travel time.
Kaua’i Nursery &
Landscaping, Inc. is the contractor.
Kyono also reported that bids will be
sought soon for construction of improvements at the intersection of Koloa Road
and Kaumuali’i Highway in Lawa’i.
Plans call for a traffic signal,
left-turn holding lanes, sidewalks and other improvements.
Also, as the
state’s economic picture has brightened somewhat, Kauaians should expect to see
more resurfacing work along various state roadways than in the previous few
years, he said.
