FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                    April 29, 2006  

CITY REOPENS AULOA ROAD IN MAUNAWILI 

            The City today reopened a portion of Auloa Road that had been closed for a month because of storm-related erosion.

            The City closed the stretch of Auloa Road below Castle Junction to traffic at the end of March when earth slides from an adjacent embankment undermined several trees, which appeared ready to fall onto the road.

            The trees stood on private property, and private owners are responsible for removing hazards posed to City roads by trees on their property. Efforts to contact the property owners and resolve the removal of the trees finally succeeded this week. The Urban Forestry Division of the Department of Parks and Recreation hired a contractor who removed several trees, including a massive paperbark tree. The landowner will pay for the work, said Facility Maintenance Director Laverne Higa.

            Auloa Road reopened at 10:15 a.m. today. No homes were affected by the closure, although it meant a little longer drive for some Maunawili residents.

            “We regret the inconvenience, but the trees created a safety hazard, and safety comes first,” said Higa.

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Contact:

Laverne Higa, 692-5054

Mark Matsunaga, 527-5767