It takes Jonilyn Hata of 'Ewa between 20 minutes and 30 minutes on some afternoons to travel a single mile through Kapolei's commercial and civic center area.

"After-workday traffic is really bad, especially between 3:30 and 7," Hata said of the congestion on Farrington Highway. "We really need an alternative."

Relief is coming by way of two roadway projects. One will be completed next month, and the other's work schedule will be accelerated with the aim of finishing two years ahead of a previous schedule.

Kapolei Property Development, an affiliate of the James Campbell Co. LLC, yesterday announced plans to build a one-mile extension of Kapolei Parkway between Fort Barrette Road and Kamokila Boulevard to provide an alternative east-west route through Kapolei.

The completion date for the $15 million project has been moved up from 2010 to late 2008.

By mid-August, KPD expects to wrap up a $6 million Kama'aha Avenue and Manawai Street extensions project that will allow traffic to bypass Farrington Highway fronting Kapolei Shopping Center.

"Kapolei's growth has been rather dramatic, and we recognize that the roads have not kept pace with development," said Donna Goth, KPD president. "So, we are moving as quickly as we can to do our part to relieve the growing pains."

Kapolei Parkway will provide an arterial from 'Ewa Beach to Ko Olina through Kapolei, which should relieve traffic on Fort Weaver Road in 'Ewa as well as bottlenecks on Farrington Highway in Kapolei.

Villages of Kapolei resident Garrett Shon said the parkway project will definitely help but worried that it could also create new congestion by taking on heavy 'Ewa Beach traffic currently using Farrington Highway.

The completed portions of Kapolei Parkway are from Fort Barrette to Kapolei Middle School to the east and Kamokila Boulevard to Kalaeloa Boulevard to the west.

KPD is also committed to widening a section of Makakilo Drive, between the Makakilo Interchange and Farrington Highway intersection, to increase capacity there. That project may be completed by 2008.

Others projects KPD is involved with include planning and design of a westbound on-ramp at the Makakilo Interchange and an off-ramp by Hawaiian Waters Adventure Park, which will provide a third interchange in and out of Kapolei, and the extension of Kamokila Boulevard, from Kapolei Parkway to Roosevelt Avenue.

Reach Rod Ohira at rohira@honoluluadvertiser.com.