FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                         June 3, 2005

Release No. DDC-6

TRAFFIC PATTERN CHANGES FOR NIU SEWER BYPASS PROJECT

The traffic pattern for the Niu Sewer Bypass Project will change beginning Sunday night, June 5.

The contractor, James W. Glover Ltd., is scheduling work in the Kokohead-bound (east-bound) lanes beginning Sunday night.

The state Department of Transportation has directed the contractor to provide a contraflow lane in that direction starting from East Hind Drive to Pu'u'ikena Drive.  The contraflow lane will run from 8:00 pm to 11:00 pm. each night.   After 11:00 pm, there will be only one Kokohead-bound lane open.

Work on the temporary bypass began five weeks ago and is expected to be completed in August.

 Construction of the emergency bypass will allow the City to install a permanent replacement for the underground force main that ruptured three times in February because of corrosion. The bypass will run from the Niu Valley Wastewater pump station, just Ewa of Niu Valley Shopping Center, under Kalanianaole Highway to an existing sewer trunk at Puuikena Drive and Hawaii Loa Ridge. Sewage would be diverted from the pump station to the bypass line, allowing for replacement of the current underground main.  Construction of the permanent replacement will be a much more time-consuming and expensive process. Design and construction of the permanent replacement is expected to take two to three years.

The emergency bypass will cross under the town-bound lanes of Kalanianaole Highway to the median, then run along the median. It will be above ground except for the street intersections.

 Work on the emergency bypass will be done during non-peak hours, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 8  p.m. to 5 a.m.

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Contact:

            Eldon Franklin, DDC Wastewater Division Chief, 527-5040