FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                            December 27, 2006

Release No. M-144-06

CONTRACT AWARDED FOR REMOVAL OF LUNALILO HOME ROAD MEDIAN

Mayor Mufi Hannemann today announced that Site Engineering, Inc., a Honolulu contractor, has been authorized to proceed with the removal of portions of the Lunalilo Home Road median.

            The contractor will remove the raised median on Lunalilo Home Road near Koko Marina Shopping Center, between Kaumakani and Anapalau streets. Installation of the landscaped median several years ago prevented motorists from turning  left into and  out of the driveways of the 76 Service Station, Hawaii National Bank and Hawaii Kai Church. 

            “Installation of the median was one of those ‘nice-to-have’ projects that the prior administration embarked upon without thinking it all the way through,” said Mayor Mufi Hannemann. “Ironically, one of our first projects after I took office last year was resurfacing Lunalilo Home Road, something that could have been done earlier instead of installing a median that very few people wanted.”

            The removal project has the support of the Hawaii Kai Neighborhood Board. Trees that will be removed as part of the project will be saved and relocated.

            Site Engineering submitted the lowest of seven bids for it, $92,500. The Department of Transportation Services transmitted the notice to proceed on the project today. Work is scheduled to begin in February and take two months.

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Contact:

            Bill  Brennan, 527-6928

            Mark Matsunaga, 527-5767