HONOLULU (KHON2) — Heavy roadwork has been causing major traffic lately. Over the weekend, a contractor error on the H1 East left drivers stuck for hours.
But there are multiple H1 projects underway and more coming this year, including a full nightly closure of the H1 at Middle Street which will happen sometime in August and September.
“We’re trying to get all this big work done partially because we can maximize the funding we got from the federal government during the Biden administration,” explained DOT Director Ed Sniffen. “But also to partially show the Trump administration that we’re good partners. So you give us money, we’re a good bet to ensure we can implement quickly for the public.”
House transportation committee Chair Darius Kila said politics shouldn’t get in the way of safety and construction.
“I think what is happening nationally should leave everybody concerned,” Kila said. “Because we pay federal taxes for the government then to redistribute. But if they are redistributing it not in a way that is fair, it is a big concern. We know right now the federal government is nitpicking every single thing, so how do we as the transportation sector continue the funding to come? But also, show support for the federal administration?”
He said the state has to look at changing wording on projects related to climate change or sea level rise to ensure funding continues to come under the new administration.
“The scary thing though is what the feds are doing, even projects that are earmarked, secured and funded and released, they are looking at those projects in a way of ‘what is happening,’ and the biggest concern is these projects cannot stop once they’ve been initiated.”
Biden-funded projects are well underway in the state.
According to the DOT website, there are 21 lane closures set for this week alone on the H1,
which is up from 12 lane closures in early October and 16 the first week of February.
Across the island, there are 104 planned lane closures this week up from around 90 in previous weeks.
Kila says he applauds Sniffen for being proactive.
“Ultimately, there is no way any state in this country could move things forward without assistance without the federal partners that exist,” Kila added. “Playing in this new arena is new for everyone, but I applaud this leadership and the HDOT under Director Sniffen for being super proactive on this.”
“Should federal project money not be as readily available, we have the ones that are allocated and earmarked. We need to spend it now and then we can figure out a more sustainable path forward with the USDOT,” he continued.
Both Sniffen and Kila said there is a good relationship with the new U.S. DOT Secretary Sean Duffy and they hope to strengthen it in the future.