(ABOVE VIDEO) A different view of the ongoing emergency access road work in Puna. The County of Hawaii chartered a flight aboard Paradise Helicopters and asked Hawaii247.com’s Baron Sekiya to shoot some video of construction being carried out in response to the June 27 lava flow. Pilot Calvin Dorn provides some insight as they record.

Video by Baron Sekiya, Hawaii247.com

PUNA, Hawaii – A county organized crew took the sky to survey the ongoing emergency road work in Puna on Tuesday.

Hawaii County is feverishly working to improve Railroad Avenue and Beach Road between Hawaiian Paradise Park and Hawaiian Beaches in preparation for lava possibly cutting off Highway 130, the Puna district’s transportation lifeline.

Part of the job will involve connecting Nanawale Estates to Railroad Avenue via an extension of Kehau Road off Mauna Kea Road on the north end of the subdivision.

Here is an official county map of the roads undergoing improvement.

Photograph of an official Hawaii County map showing planned roadwork. Much of it is already well underway.

Road crews began working at 6:30 a.m. for the first time today (previously 7:30 a.m.) and will continue through sunset.

According to information gathered and shared by Puna councilman Greggor Ilagan, private and county dozers have finished clearing and grubbing Railroad Avenue and are now doing grading work. Fine road grading work will follow.

Work on Government Beach Road also continues. The county is working from the HPP side and state Department of Transportation is working from the Hawaiian Beaches side.

Ilagan also confirmed some troubling vandalism rumors. “Overnight, some of the equipment was vandalized and some diesel fuel was stolen,” he wrote. “Neighborhood Watches in the area are encouraged to be vigilant for suspicious activity. Under a state law approved this year (Act 111), petty misdemeanor criminal property damage during an emergency is elevated to a Class B felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $25,000.”