Everybody's talking about this. Even my dad's talking about it. From Nimitz Highway to Kalakaua Avenue, from Chinatown to Kahala, construction and repair projects large and small are choking freeways, main thoroughfares, side streets and even alleys. That lunchtime errand to Ala Moana that used to take 20 minutes now can take an hour, thanks to a veritable obstacle course of lane closures that slows traffic to a trickle on such main drags as King Street. Compounding the problem is construction on the H-1 Freeway through town, which has compelled commuters to use alternate routes such as Kapi ' olani or Dillingham Boulevard.
Trouble is, they're messed up, too, as crews dig deep to repair water and sewer pipes.
It seems the state Department of Transportation is going ahead with its plan for the H-1, and independently, the city's going ahead with its construction projects. City spokeswoman Carol Costa said some of the convergence of construction work is simply a coincidence. But city managing director Ben Lee also said it is efficient to combine as many improvement projects as possible. There are also more to come. That way we don't have to come back six months later and tear things up again.