Two Steps Forward For Kaneohe Roadways

The city is starting work on two important street projects in Kaneohe:

Making the crosswalk at Kamehameha Highway and Pahia Road safer for pedestrians.

Repaving Waikalua Road.

The Kaneohe Neighborhood Board heard an update on the projects at its February meeting.

Pedestrian Deaths Plague Crosswalk

The crosswalk project is important because four pedestrians have been killed trying to cross the highway there in recent years.

Lori Kahikina, the city's director of environmental services, said the city hopes to hire a consultant for the intersection project in a couple of months and to have a design ready four to five months after that. Then the city will need to find the money to fix the problem, she said.

Aging Road In Line For Facelift

Waikalua Road is important because it serves an elementary school, police substation, library branch, two parks, and dozens of homes. For many residents, it is the only street access to Kamehameha Highway. It is also badly rutted and potholed along much of its length.

Kahikina said the city plans to solicit repaving bids this spring and to begin construction shortly thereafter.

Kahikina said the city's planning and procurement process remains slow, and can be frustrating for residents and city staff alike. At the same time, the city is making progress on road improvements, having repaved more than 700 miles of streets in two years. A map of repaving projects and a full list of repaving projects are available on the city website.