Phase 2 of Queen Kaahumanu Highway Widening Begins

Phase 2 of the Queen Kaahumanu Highway Widening project broke ground on Thursday in Kona.

The $90 million project follows the Phase 1 project completed in February 2007 that widened the highway from Henry Street to Kealakehe Parkway.

In Phase 2 of the project, the Hawai’i Department of Transportation will widen the highway from two lanes to four lanes from Kealakehe Parkway to Keahole Airport Road. The project includes the installation of new coordinated traffic signals and highway lighting at six intersections, along with landscape improvements, utility relocation, drainage improvements, pavement marking, and sign and guardrail installations.

As part of the project, the Hawai’i County Department of Water Supply and Department of Environmental Management will partner to construct new water mains and facilities that will provide future sewer system expansion.

“This widening project will benefit motorists by adding an extra lane in each direction of the Queen Kaahumanu Highway, which will greatly improve traffic flow through this busy section of highway in north Kona,” said HDOT Director Ford Fuchigami. “We are happy to have Goodfellow Bros., Inc. as the project’s design-build contractor as I am confident they will complete the project with great skill and efficiency.”

Eighty percent of the $90 million construction cost will be funded by the Federal Highway Administration.

The estimated completion is September 2017.

Community members can follow the progress of the project by visiting the Queen Kaahumanu website, calling the project’s 24-hour hotline (888) 440-7988, attending community meetings, and being aware of changeable message boards along the highway.