FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                 October 20, 2006

ANAHULU BRIDGE IN HALEIWA REOPENS TOMORROW

            The landmark Anahulu Bridge in Haleiwa will reopen about 2 p.m. tomorrow, ahead of schedule. It has been closed since Monday for repairs that were originally expected to take seven  to 10 days.

            The 85-year-old bridge spans Anahulu Stream and is sometimes known as Rainbow Bridge.  It was closed to vehicles around the clock since 7 a.m. Monday to allow for the contractor, Kaikor Construction Co., to rebuild the bridge deck.  Work was done from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily to hasten completion.

            ”We know the bridge closure inconvenienced a lot of people, and we appreciate everyone’s patience,” said Mayor Mufi Hannemann. “This work simply had to be done to keep the bridge useable. Our City Department of Design and Construction worked closely with Kaikor to shave time off the project, and Kaikor’s project Superintendent Matthew Blackburn and his crew came through. We appreciate their efforts and the aloha they received from their neighbors.”

            Kaikor and the City thanked Meryl Andersen, 79, a lifelong Haleiwa resident, who lives and owns land along Anahulu Stream. She allowed Kaikor to store equipment and machinery on her property for all 17 months that they worked on the bridge. That particular spot is right outside a house Joe Lazar, owner of Haleiwa Joe’s restaurant, rents from Andersen.

            Blackburn said Andersen would take a walk each morning and talk to the workers and ask what they would be doing that day. Kaikor offered to pay her a rental fee for use of her property, but she declined. The fee was donated to a Haleiwa charity of Andersen’s choice.

The crew plans to give her a ride in the first vehicle across the bridge when it reopens tomorrow.

            One pedestrian walkway remained open during the work. City buses were rerouted and a special shuttle service instituted for the duration of the project. After tomorrow’s reopening of the bridge, regular service will resume. The shuttle service will continue for an hour or two.

            Rehabilitation of the bridge cost $3,052,737.75

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Contact:

            Marvin Char, Civil Division Chief, 527-6381

            Michael Yuen, Construction Manager, 523-4228