Kolekole Bridge will undergo repairs from November 8-December 31, 2021 to increase weight limit from a 12 to 40 ton weight load capacity.

​Infrastructure is a huge issue, particularly for the bridges in the Hakalau Kuleana. Bridges close, sometimes for years and sometimes without much notice. Now it's the Kolekole Bridge on the Belt Highway and, less than a year ago, the Ka`ahakini Stream Bridge, which remains closed.

Below is the timeline of the unfolding emergency, a link for updated information from the Department of Transportation, and a list of elected officials to contact with your comments and concerns:​

• November 5, 2021: Big Island Video News reported the closure of the Kolekole Gulch Park beginning November 8, to coincide with the intermediate repairs of the Kolekole Bridge. The work is expected to continue through December 31, 2021.
• September 28, 2021: The state Department of Transportation reported that intermediate repairs to Kolekole Bridge on Highway 19 north of Hilo “will be completed within three to four months and will restore normal operations on the bridge.” “This repair will give us the time necessary to finalize environmental permitting and design on the permanent repair and lead remediation for Kolekole Bridge,” DOT said in a statement. “The permanent bridge repair project is estimated at $36 million with a start date of fall 2026.” According to DOT, a contractor has been selected, but the department didn’t name the contractor. After engineers ordered the combined vehicle and load limit for the bridge be dropped to 4 tons, emergency repairs finished Sept. 20 allowed for a combined weight of 12 tons, according to the DOT.
• September 20, 2021: The Hawaii Tribune Herald published a good overview of the situation, the steps being taken, and its consequences. 
• September 19, 2021:  The Hawaiʻi Department of Transportation (HDOT) will close the southbound (Hilo-bound) lane of Hawaii Belt Road (Route 19) over Kolekole Bridge at mile marker 14.27 on Monday, Sept. 20 between 8 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. for emergency repairs. During work hours Hilo-bound traffic will be allowed over Kolekole Bridge by contraflow in the Honokaa-bound (northbound) lane. Flaggers will direct traffic and electronic signs have been placed to alert motorists to the closure. As a reminder, the allowable combined weight (i.e., vehicle and load) on Kolekole Bridge is currently four tons (8,000 lbs.). The emergency repairs will consist of welding of two of the steel trusses of the bridge to support raising the weight restriction to 12 tons, which will accommodate most emergency and transit vehicles. Ambulances are allowed over the bridge. The timeline for the longer-term repairs is 3-4 months pending availability of materials. The expedited repairs are supported by the declaration of Hawaii Belt Road in the vicinity of Kolekole Bridge as a traffic emergency zone.
• ​September 17, 2021, the State Department of Transportation reported that following additional analysis, the department is pursuing emergency welding to support raising the weight restriction to 12 tons, which will accommodate most emergency and transit vehicles. Staff is coordinating with Hawaii County emergency responders and will allow ambulances on the bridge starting today (9/17/21).
• September 15, 2021, the State Department of Transportation reduced the weight limit for vehicles on the Kolekole Bridge on the Belt Highway to 4 tons, effective immediately. Repairs expected to take 3-4 months.
  

Contacting elected representatives to share your concerns and how the current emergency impacts you is always a good idea! Area resident Elizabeth Hansen prepared the following contact list:

• Our State Senator Lorraine Inouye: [email protected]
• Our State Representative: [email protected]
• Governor Ige- uses an email  form: https://governor.hawaii.gov/contact-us/contact-the-governor/
• Hawaii County Mayor Mitch Roth uses an email form: https://www.hawaiicounty.gov/our-county/mayor/comments-and-concerns
• Hawaii County Deputy Managing Director: [email protected]
• Our County Council Rep:  Heather Kimball:  kimball98781@gmail.com
• Our US Senator Mazie Hirono uses email form: https://www.hirono.senate.gov/contact
• Our US Senator Brian Schatz uses email form: https://www.schatz.senate.gov/contact 
• Our US Representative Kaialiʻi Kahele uses email form: https://kahele.house.gov

Ka`ahakini Bridge Closed until Further Notice

• October 30, 2020, the Ka`ahakini Bridge was closed immediately and until further notice. According to Civil Defense:

• November 30, 2020, a working group submitted a report to public officials within the County and State: "Ka`ahakini Bridge Closure: Summary of Community Concerns & Possible Paths Forward" . This document encompassed immediate concerns of Life/Health and Safety of Residents and Drivers and Financial and Property Losses, and the long-term concern of the need to address cumulative infrastructure deficiencies in a coordinated plan.
• January 15, 2021, the working group met via Zoom to bring together key decision makers and responsible agency representatives and community representatives to seek efficient and timely plan of action to resolve bridge closure, address community impacts and re-open access to Kaiwiki Homestead road and area. A video recording of the meeting is available here.

Many of the bridges in the Hakalau Kuleana (from Kolekole to the Poupou Stream in Ninole) are old. The Department of Public Works inspects them frequently and makes repairs as needed. Nevertheless, some areas find themselves in a precarious situation. With the closure of the Ka`ahakini Bridge residents of Kaiwiki Homestead must use the one lane wooden bridge on Kanna Road, connecting Chin Chuck Road to Kaiwiki Homestead. On the Kaiwiki Homestead side of the bridge, the road is unpaved.

Barriers to Ka`ahakini Bridge installed October 30, 2020. Note: weight limit is 12 tons.

Kanna Road Bridge being used as the detour route for Kaiwiki Homestead residents. The weight limit is 6 tons and the road on the Kaiwiki side of the bridge is unpaved.

Kolekole Beach Park to close November 8,2021 through end of the year. 

Due to safety concerns, while the State of Hawai‘i Department of Transportation (DOT) conducts emergency repairs to Kolekole Stream Bridge, Kolekole Beach Park will be temporarily closed from November 8 to December 31. The emergency repairs will consist of an Acrow truss system to be spanned over the bridge with lower supports below to upgrade the bridge capacity from a 12-ton to a 40-ton load rating capacity.
DOT contractors will be working from above and below the bridge with heavy equipment (man-lifts, boom trucks, bucket trucks, forklifts, etc.), and although safety measures will be in place while the repairs are conducted, the temporary park closure will assist the DOT in expediting their work and help keep the public safe during these repairs.

​County officials say residents can contact the Department of Parks and Recreation at (808) 961-8311 for questions relating to the park closure or DOT at (808) 933-8866 for questions relating to the bridge repair.

Photo courtesy of Big Island Video News, November 5, 2021

Old Mamalahoa between Kolekole Beach Park entrance and Kaiwiki Homestead Road is currently closed.

Hakalau Bay Park remains closed.

Hakalau Bay Park is closed indefinitely, meaning only that an estimated opening date cannot be specified at this time. This does not mean that it will be closed permanently. 

Hakalau Post Office Closed Indefinitely

On January 13, 2020, the Hakalau Post Office closed due to concerns about the structural integrity and safety of the building. Whether the structure can be repaired such that the post office can return to this building remains to be determined. In the meantime, the Hakalau community is receiving its mail at the Honomu Post Office. Mailing addresses for residents within zip code 96710 have not changed.

Hakalau Post Office Then and Now