Pray for us, here comes Rice Street project

Up to a year of traffic headaches; officials urge patience

LIHU’E – Even with assurances from officials that access to Rice Street businesses won’t be blocked during work to widen the street to four lanes, some merchants are worried heading into the start of the project next week.

“Nobody’s going to lose access to their business,” said Myles Mizokami, project manager for Goodfellow Brothers Inc., the general contractor for the project that could last up to a year.

Cindy Bryant, owner of the Lihu’e Pet Shop at Rice Shopping Center, wanted that statement as a blood promise during a meeting Wednesday of the Lihu’e Business Association.

She also wanted further assurances that if customers start having trouble reaching Rice Street businesses because of the construction, flagmen would be posted to help customers get to parking.

Mizokami said there may be other alternatives.

The project will “force us to close,” at least during certain periods, said one Rice Street business owner.

Business operators heard from Kaua’i County Mayor Maryanne Kusaka that if they e-mail, fax or call her office (241-6300) with information about their businesses, she and county representatives will spread the word that the businesses are open despite the street construction.

The construction scheduled to begin Monday is expected to last between eight and 12 months.

The first phase will be the Kaua’i Museum side of Rice Street, from Haleko Road to Kapule Highway. The second phase will be the Lihu’e Post Office side of the road, also from Haleko to Kapule.

Use of radio, TV, newspapers, e-mail and the Internet is planned to let people know how the work is progressing, which areas will be impacted, and that businesses are open.

Goodfellow plans on holding weekly meetings with business people and other interested parties to provide updates and garner public feedback. The contractor has also established a special telephone line (632-2088) to handle inquiries and complaints.

The county requires two-way traffic on Rice to be accommodated at all times.

Russell Sugano, a county Department of Public Works official, said 15,000 vehicles a day move up and down Rice Street, a figure that soon will reach 20,000.

County and Goodfellow officials said the public’s patience and businesses’ support are needed to minimize inconvenience from the construction.

“It’s a full partnership for everybody to make this thing work as smoothly as possible,” said Mizokami. “We’re going to need the support of everybody.”

Businesses should tell customers where available parking is located, and companies with ample off-street parking may have to make that space available to other businesses, especially those dependent on the on-street parking that beginning Monday will temporarily disappear, Mizokami said.

“There are solutions out there,” he said.

The work will turn Rice from three to four lanes and maximize on-street parking by allowing portions of lanes on both sides of the street to be used for parking during non-peak hours.

“What we need is the cooperation of the motoring public” during the project, said Cesar Portugal, county engineer. “It’s going to create some inconveniences,” including detours. People should walk or avoid the area of construction, he added.

“I’ll be glad when this thing is over. There’s going to be disgruntled people,” Portugal said.

Around 60 people attended Wednesday’s morning meeting at Hawaiian Classic Desserts restaurant. Some peppered Mizokami with questions about the construction schedule and the plan to work days and nights in order to get the project completed quickly.

To minimize inconvenience to businesses, visitors and residents, there was a suggestion about working seven days a week. Mizokami replied that working construction crews that much can lead to decreased worker productivity, mistakes and an inferior finished product. Working weekends may make it difficult to get concrete and other materials delivered to the job site, he added.

Goodfellow has a state Department of Health noise variance allowing it to schedule work from 9 p.m. to 5:30 a.m. Sunday through Thursday, but only between Haleko Road and Kress Street. It has applied for a variance to work those same nights from Kress Street to the project’s end at Kapule Highway, but is awaiting word on that permit.

At a public hearing Tuesday night, several people and business owners spoke against night work, including residents of Lihu’e Townhouse and the owners of Motel Lani, Mizokami said.

The contractor will also work weekdays from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., but is prohibited from working during the afternoon peak drive time of 4:30 to 6:30.

Work that encroaches on businesses’ driveways will be done at night. Goodfellow will have to work closely with businesses that are open 24 hours a day, Mizokami said.

He said pedestrian access will be maintained throughout the construction period, no side streets will be blocked, and there will be room for parking construction equipment off the open public roadway and side streets.

Construction signs will go up beginning Monday with information on specific work to be performed, and Mizokami didn’t rule out additional signs listing Rice Street businesses and how to best get to them.

If traffic backs up, such as at the Kapule Highway and Rice Street intersection, Goodfellow may use flagmen to direct traffic.

Laura Cushnie, Goodfellow’s Kaua’i manager, said between 20 and 30 union construction workers will be employed on the project, and she’ll have to hire additional workers to fill available slots.

By contract, Goodfellow has 14.5 months to complete the work.

An official groundbreaking for the project was held Wednesday afternoon in the county’s Kalena Park.

Several tunnels run under Rice Street, believed to have been built as irrigation systems by Chinese immigrants. Sugano said none of them will be filled in with cement, as they are deep enough to pose no problems during or after the construction.

Staff Writer Paul C. Curtis can be reached at mailto:pcurtis@pulitzer.net or 245-3681 (ext. 224).