(BIVN) – The County of Hawaiʻi is postponing a road project in the Keaukaha-area of Hilo that was scheduled to begin on March 23.

From the Hawaiʻi County Department of Public Works:

A one-way traffic pattern that was scheduled to go into effect on March 23, 2020, on a portion of Kalaniana‘ole Avenue in Hilo has been postponed to allow for changes to improve traffic flow at the affected intersections. The one-way traffic pattern, which was to be in effect 24 hours a day, seven days a week, was expected to be in effect for four to six months. The public will be notified once a new date for the detour has been determined.

The Kalaniana’ole Avenue Improvement Project, which began in March 2018, is a joint State of Hawai‘i Department of Transportation and County of Hawai‘i endeavor. It includes widening Kalaniana’ole Avenue from Kanoelehua Avenue to Kuhio Street (Hilo Harbor entrance), installing a concrete sidewalk on the makai side, a paved shoulder on the mauka side, bicycle lanes in each direction, one through lane in each direction, a shared turn lane, drainage improvements, utility relocation, and the installation of a new 12-inch waterline. The project remains on track to be completed in Q4 2020, weather and construction conditions permitting.

While the one-way detour has been postponed, the roadwork project continues to make progress. As of March 16, 2020, 90 percent of the concrete sidewalk on the makai side of Kalaniana‘ole Avenue has been completed and the project’s drainage improvements are 54 percent complete. In the coming weeks, sidewalk and driveway construction near the Hilo Harbor entrance will continue. It is estimated that drainage structures on the makai side of Kalaniana’ole Avenue, including the drainage system fronting Kuhio Kalaniana‘ole Park, will also be completed in the next few weeks.

The County of Hawai’i Department of Public Works apologizes for any inconvenience this may cause and thanks the community for their patience and understanding.

If there are any questions or concerns about the Kalanianaʻole Avenue Improvement project, please call Sterling Chow of the Hawai‘i County Department of Public Works Engineering Division, (808) 961-8925.