State transportation officials hope the reconstruction of the Mahiko Street pedestrian overpass across the H-1 Freeway that began last night will go smoothly and not put a crimp on motorists.

But DOT officials still advise motorists to add extra time to their commutes if they plan to travel through the area during reconstruction times.

Said state transportation spokesman Scott Ishikawa: "There might be slight traffic backup, but I think there's going to be more people rubbernecking than anything else."

"We want to finish by Dec. 15," Transportation Director Rodney Haraga said yesterday. "That's the start of the holiday season, and we can't do any work then."

Two of the six 'ewa-bound lanes of the H-1 are to be closed to traffic from 9 p.m. to 3:15 a.m. for much of this week. Specifically, the two 'ewa-bound lanes farthest to the left were to be closed yesterday and today. The two extreme right lanes are scheduled to be closed tomorrow and Thursday.

The biggest inconvenience for motorists will occur Sunday, when all six 'ewa-bound lanes will be shut down from about 1:30 to 5 a.m. from the Halawa Interchange to the Waiau Interchange, also known as the H1-H2 merge.

That's when the contractor, Hawaiian Dredging Construction Co., is expected to use a crane to install a pre-cast section of concrete that will connect the walkway.

USE ALTERNATE ROUTES

Transportation officials said motorists who must travel during that period on Sunday should use either Kamehameha Highway or Moanalua Road.

The 80-foot connecting slab, weighing approximately 60,000 pounds, was being cast at Hawaiian Cement's Halawa construction yard yesterday. The slab will sit atop bearing plates on either side that will lay on the columns, allowing the concrete to expand and contract, Haraga said.

Plans for Friday and Saturday will depend on how work progresses during the first four days, Ishikawa said.

"There may be subsequent lane closures in the following weeks — just to do some final work — but it will be nothing like Sunday morning," he said.

No town-bound lanes are expected to be tied up during the duration of the project, Haraga said.

The bridge was damaged when an oversized load atop a military flatbed truck ran into the structure on Sept. 6. The Army has agreed to reimburse the state for the incident.

Ishikawa said initial estimates have put repair costs at about $500,000, which includes traffic control measures.

SWIFT STATE ACTION

DOT engineers worked swiftly to draw up the plans so that the project could get under way as quickly as possible, and not just because of the impending holiday traffic rush, Ishikawa said.

One concern is the department is still receiving reports of children "hanging out" on both sides of the severed walkway.

Officials also view the walkway as essential for Alvah Scott Elementary School on the makai side of the freeway. "If there's some kind of emergency where (people) can't exit the campus through Moanalua Road, they still have a way out using the pedestrian overpass," he said.

Placement of the concrete slab takes place on Sunday morning because DOT officials do not want to shut down the lanes later than 3:30 a.m. on weekdays, when road crews are installing the Zipper Lane.

U.S. Army Pacific has acknowledged responsibility for the incident and has agreed to repay the state for any costs incurred, said Army spokesman Erik Rodney. Meanwhile, the Army is finishing up an internal investigation of what happened.

Reach Gordon Y.K. Pang at gpang@honoluluadvertiser.com.