Hawaiʻi County to hold blessing for Highway 137 project to repair lava damage

The Hawaiʻi County Department of Public Works will hold a blessing ceremony on Sept. 24 for the heavy equipment to be used during the long-awaited project to reconstruct a section of Highway 137 in Pāhoa that was damaged by the 2018 Kīlauea lava flow.

This critical project, which spans from Highway 132 (Pāhoa Kapoho) to Pohoiki Road, will enhance roadway safety and reliability for the community, according to a Hawaiʻi County news release.

The road work will reopen nine miles of roadway and fix nearly eight miles of waterlines buried under lava.

The blessing will occur at 10 a.m. at Kumukahi Lighthouse entrance (4 Corners) in Pohoiki.  All community members are invited to attend.

The scope of work includes:

• Grading the existing lava rock.
• Installing a new asphalt concrete pavement structure.
• Removing and replacing asphalt in areas unaffected by lava.
• Installing a new 6-inch waterline.
• Adding roadway signs, striping, and pavement markers.
• Additional miscellaneous tasks to ensure a successful project.

Isemoto Contracting Company was awarded the contract for the project and received the official notice to proceed on June 24. The project is on schedule, with an anticipated completion date of March 2026, according to Hawaiʻi County.

On-site construction is set to begin at the end of September.

In preparation for construction, surveying and other work began Aug. 26. During this period, residents can expect to see work trucks, gravel equipment and surveying teams in the area.