Full Closure of Kamehameha Highway Northbound Lanes Between Waipahu St. and Waipi‘o Uka St. for Student Mural Project

HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Department of Transportation (HDOT) notifies highway users that the northbound lanes of Kamehameha Highway from Waipahu Street to Waipi‘o Uka Street will be closed starting at 3 a.m., Saturday, Oct. 25 and will reopen at 8 p.m., Sunday, Oct. 26. During this time, traffic will be contraflowed using the southbound lanes, one lane in each direction. The Lumi‘au‘au Street inlet/outlet at Kamehameha Highway will be closed and traffic will be detoured to Lumi‘aina Street.

The closure and detour are needed to ensure the safety of students who will be painting a mural as part of HDOT’s efforts to collaborate with the community to beautify travel corridors and public spaces throughout the state. HDOT is partnering with the Hawai‘i Department of Education and local artists to create the mural that will span a stretch of Kamehameha Highway nearly three-quarters of a mile long, between Waipahu and Waipi‘o.

On Oct. 25 and 26, close to 100 students from Pearl City, Mililani and Waipahu High Schools will help transform the heavily used and highly visible roadway into a visual story about the significance of the Waipi‘o Ahupua‘a. The students will be guided by local artists Blythe Yoshikane, Jesse Velasquez and Solomon Enos.

In preparation for the mural painting, HDOT removed the old coating and applied a primer coat on three separate walls that will serve as the canvas for the mural. A base color coat representing a mauka-to-makai scheme has been applied. From now until Saturday, the artists will sketch the design in anticipation of the student painting.

Special duty police officers will be on-site the intersection of Kamehameha Highway and Lumi‘āina Street to assist with traffic control and safety procedures. Electronic message boards have been posted along Kamehameha Highway to notify motorists of the planned closure and detour.

Please follow all traffic controls and drive safely around the students.

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