Six months after announcing an ambitious push to fix the city streets in most need of repair, Mayor Kirk Caldwell says work remains on course to repave 300 lane miles of degraded road on Oahu this year.
Road crews have repaved 139 lane miles across the island since Jan. 1, according to a June 30 Department of Design and Construction report the Star-Advertiser obtained.
Status of Honolulu Road Repair Projects
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MAYOR CALDWELL RELEASES QUARTERLY REPORT ON ROAD REPAVING PROJECTS – JULY 12, 2013
Honolulu—Mayor Kirk Caldwell today released his administration’s second quarterly report on the status of City road repaving projects on Oahu.
Over the past six months, the City has paved a total of 139 lane miles, with that number expected to more than double in second half of the year as additional projects begin.
“I’m pleased to report that the City is on-track to repair at least 300 lane miles of deteriorated roads by the end of this year,” said Mayor Caldwell. “Repairing our bad roads and making good roads last longer is remains one of my top priorities, and we are showing we can get the job done.”
The City currently has 25 roads projects totaling nearly $200 million that are either on-going or about to begin. Work on six of those projects started in 2012, while the remaining 19 projects were initiated since Mayor Caldwell took office in January.
Mayor Caldwell also noted that the $77 million appropriated by the City Council in the FY 2012 budget has now been encumbered (contracted to spend), which is about a year ahead what had previously been standard practice. As of June 30, the City had also encumbered more than $61 million of the $100 million that was appropriated in the FY 2013 budget.
“By getting projects out in a more efficient and consistent manner, we avoid a rush at the end of the fiscal year, which can potentially lead to funds lapsing and also drive up costs,” said Mayor Caldwell. “Everyone involved in the process is working hard to ensure projects move out and are completed in a timely manner, while emphasizing quality work and the least amount of impact to the public during construction.”
Caldwell’s five-year road plan aims to repair all 1,500 lane-miles of roads that are considered less than fair condition as assessed by an independent study conducted last year. In April, Caldwell for the first time released a quarterly status report of roads projects, and has committed to continue doing so every quarter to help the public and the City Council keep track of the work and understand how funds are being spent.
