Rehabilitation of a portion of Kilauea Avenue is well underway.
Part of a statewide transportation improvement program, the rehabilitation work includes repaving, installing pavement markers, striping and traffic detectors along a 1.5-mile stretch of the Hilo thoroughfare, from the Waiola Bridge to Puainako Street.
Keone Thompson, an engineer in the County Department of Public Works Engineering Division, said in an email to the Tribune-Herald crews currently are repairing driveways and adjusting utility lines along the roadway.
Work began on the Puainako Street end of the project, and crews are working their way to the Waiola Bridge.
The project contract was awarded to Jas W Glover for $7,446,000.
As a federally funded project, 80% of the costs will be covered with federal money, while Hawaii County will pay the remaining cost.
However, Thompson said an $884,735 change order has been executed to adjust driveways to match the restored roadway grade and elevations.
Bids for the project already were higher than anticipated when received last summer. A spokeswoman for the department previously told the Tribune-Herald that the expected bid range for the work was $4.5 million to $6.5 million.
Thompson said the project contract began on Nov. 10, 2020, and will take 300 working days to complete, weather permitting.
While work is being performed, traffic may be limited to one lane in each direction or detoured to other streets, as needed.
Email Stephanie Salmons at ssalmons@hawaiitribune-herald.com.
