City and County of Honolulu Press Release:
Today Mayor Caldwell released the city’s quarterly road repaving progress report. Improving Oahu’s roads is one of Mayor Caldwell’s top priorities. His ambitious five-year plan calls for repaving an average of 300 lane miles per year in order to repair all 1,500 lane miles deemed unsatisfactory in a 2012 survey. Last year city contractors repaved a record 398 lane miles. Now in year two, the city is again ahead of schedule with 126 lane miles having been repaved through the first quarter of 2014.
A major rehabilitation project that repaved 29 lane miles of roads in Kailua over a one-year period and cost $6.1 million was completed last month. Just as the Windward Oahu project was finished, another began in Mililani when crews started repaving Meheula Parkway. There are currently 20 ongoing road projects that will repave a total of 747 lane miles at an estimated cost of $176 million.
“We are making unprecedented progress in fixing our roads,” said Mayor Caldwell. “While we are ahead of schedule, we will continue to remain focused and work as efficiently as we can to complete projects as quickly as possible while maintaining a high standard of work. The public deserves good roads, and we remain committed to making that happen.”
In addition to repaving unsatisfactory roads, Mayor Caldwell has stressed the importance of maintaining roads that are still in good condition. The city uses a slurry seal (emulsified asphalt) coating to extend the life of good roads. The city also patches potholes within 48 hours of them being reported. Temporary pothole patching helps create a smoother ride for drivers until more substantive improvements can be made. As of April 5, the city has filled more than 13,300 potholes this year. The public is encouraged to report potholes to the city by calling 768-7777.
The current quarterly status report is posted online at: http://www.honolulu.gov/rep/site/ddc/Road_repair_quarterly_report.pdf
