(BIVN) – Work has begun on a future traffic roundabout near the entrance of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park.

The preparation work is part of the ongoing Disaster Recovery Project following the 2018 eruption and collapse of Kīlauea volcano’s summit.

The National Park Service shared this news release on Monday:

Driving into Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park will soon look different and ultimately be safer for everyone in the near future.

Work to prepare for the installation of a traffic roundabout just beyond the park entrance began March 4. The upgrades also include plans to realign Crater Rim Drive and add an administrative lane at the entrance station. Workers have fenced off 33 parking stalls east of Kīlauea Visitor Center as a staging area for the traffic safety project, creating less parking.

NPS Map Graphic showing an aerial view of Kīlauea Visitor Center parking lot that is fenced off for use as a construction staging area

Some sections of forest near the entrance will be removed in the weeks ahead but will be restored as much as possible. The park’s natural resources team has propagated ʻōhiʻa and other endemic plants from the area and will replant once the work is complete. The park consulted with kūpuna about this process and is committed to minimizing the loss of forest. To prevent the spread of Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death and non-native species, all workers are required to follow the park’s stringent invasive pest and green waste protocols.

“We want the community and visitors to be prepared for the changes, which will eventually make it safer to enter and explore the park,” said Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park Superintendent Rhonda Loh. “We appreciate everyone’s patience and understanding.”

The addition of an administrative lane and the realignment of the Crater Rim Drive intersection into a roundabout will improve traffic flow and address visitor experience issues. The upgrades will result in less frequent backups onto Highway 11, a major safety concern especially during eruptions when park visitation soars.

Plan Detail of Roundabout Intersection from HVNP Disaster Recovery Project story map.

Crews will also conduct important infrastructure upgrades to water, fiber optic and electrical lines underground between the park entrance and visitor center.

The traffic safety upgrades are included with the National Park Service’s (NPS) nearly two-year Disaster Recovery Project following the eruption and collapse of Kīlauea volcano’s summit in 2018. Following the disaster, the NPS completed civic engagement, public scoping and an Environmental Assessment (EA). The park released a Finding of No Significant Impact on the plan in December 2022 to move forward with the project and the traffic safety upgrades. 

Everyone coming to the park should expect limited parking, delays at the entrance station, and the potential for temporary area closures, especially if an eruption occurs. In addition to reduced parking near Kilauea Visitor Center, half the parking lot at Uēkahuna is reserved for the construction project.

Updates on construction closures and delays are being posted on the park’s new construction page.