Koko Head trail to temporarily close for city safety improvements

HONOLULU (KHON2) — The Koko Head trail will be seeing some changes soon, with the Department of Parks and Recreation planning on sealing the area’s bunkers.

Changes will first be seen with the Koko Crater Tramway being temporarily closed from 11 p.m. on Sept. 17 to noon on Sept. 18, so a helicopter crew may transport materials to the summit.

Transported materials will be used to seal the bunkers along the trail, which have seen some trouble in the past several months.

In July, an 8-year-old boy fell down a 20-foot shaft along the trail. The child had to be extracted from the site and was hospitalized in critical condition.

City officials say that the bunkers will be sealed off with metal bars, preventing people from entering them.

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While they are working, the Department of Parks and Recreation also plans to address a beehive approximately halfway up the tramway.

All work conducted will be done with in-house supplies and maintenance staff, officials say. The out-the-door cost of the project is estimated to be about $5,000.

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The cost of the project could increase if hikers or other unauthorized individuals interfere with the work being done, such as being on the trail during its closure. It could also delay the entire process.