HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Department of Transportation (HDOT) has taken the following actions to prepare for the low-pressure system expected to pass through the Hawaiian Islands tonight into Friday.

AIRPORTS

All airport districts have been in communication with tenants on pre-storm actions such as moving loose equipment on ramps. Crews have also cleared airfield drains and outlets and will stand by to ensure continued operations during high winds and heavy rains.

As a reminder, state of Hawai‘i airports will remain open unless there is damage to runway or terminal facilities, with the exception of the Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport at Keāhole, which may restrict boarding and deplaning during weather events due to its open-air configuration.

During active weather events, passengers are reminded that their best source of information on their flights into or out of Hawai‘i will be their airlines. Do not come to the airport unless you have a ticketed, confirmed flight. If you are at the airport during a weather event and need to take shelter, do not leave the secured area or you may need to go through security screening to reenter. If security checkpoints are closed for the night, no passengers may enter.

HARBORS

Over the last two days, Harbors personnel have notified harbor users, agents, tenants, and contractors of the incoming weather and urging preparations to secure facilities, including construction sites.

Harbors personnel are also in regular contact with the U.S. Coast Guard and will coordinate port surveys and assessments following the storm to quickly restart the ocean cargo lifeline. In preparation for a quick response if needed, Harbors crews have fueled vehicles and portable generators.

HIGHWAYS

HDOT crews on all islands have completed their pre-storm checklist actions—fueling up equipment and tanks at baseyards, clearing drainage areas, removing Best Management Practices (BMPs) that filter water at construction sites, staging equipment outside of low-lying areas and staffing local emergency operating centers.

In addition, HDOT crews on O‘ahu have visited sites where people have been known to take residence to warn them of the approaching storm and remove items that may pose a risk to health and safety. These areas were:

• Kamehameha Hwy. Bridge at Middle St.
• Nimitz Viaduct Corridor (multiple culverts under Nimitz Hwy.)
• Nu‘uanu Stream at H1
• Pauoa Street Canal
• Nimitz Hwy. Bridge at Nu‘uanu Stream/River St.
• Kapālama Canal at H-1
• Pa‘a St. Bridge at Moanalua Fwy. (H-201)
• Wai‘alae Ave H-1 Viaduct at Hunakai St./21st Ave., culvert behind Texaco
• Mānoa-Pālolo Drainage Canal area under Old Wai‘alae Rd.
• Mānoa-Pālolo Drainage Canal area under S. King St.
• Waipahu Canal Bridge area at Farrington Hwy.
• Culvert on Fort Weaver Blvd. at ‘Ewa Community Cemetery
• Kunia Rd. culvert between Farrington Hwy. and H-1 on-ramp
• Neal Blaisdell Park, bridge area along Kamehameha Hwy.
• Kalauao Stream area at Pali Momi and Kamehameha Hwy.
• Kalauao Springs Bridge at Kamehameha Hwy.
• Hālawa Stream Bridge at Kamehameha Hwy.

HDOT crews also participated in a multiagency effort to clear the Ala Wai canal of debris washed down by the previous heavy rains. Overnight on January 28, an  HDOT crew cleared 12 dump truck loads of debris from the east side of the canal by using a Department of Land and Natural Resources boom to push the debris to within reach of an excavator. The costs for additional equipment to conduct the debris removal will be covered by the Major Disaster Fund released by acting Governor Sylvia Luke in anticipation of the storm.

HDOT encourages all Hawai‘i residents to ensure they are prepared for the heavy rains and high winds associated with the incoming front by checking their properties for loose items that may be blown or swept away, ensuring vehicles are fueled and emergency supplies are accessible and remembering the following tips for driving in wet conditions:

• Make sure your windshield wipers are in good condition and use your headlights if you are driving in rainy conditions. Turning on your headlights increases your visibility and helps make other drivers aware of you.
• Do not drive through fast-moving water or water of uncertain depth. Your vehicle could stall out or could be washed away. As little as 24 inches of moving water could possibly wash away a vehicle.
• Do not drive in high winds, especially in high-profile vehicles, as you risk your vehicle being pushed by winds or rolled over.
• Following high-wind events be cautious on the road as debris and live electrical lines could cause damage to you and your vehicle.

Please continue to follow HDOT’s social media accounts, https://www.facebook.com/HawaiiDepartmentOfTransportation/ and https://twitter.com/DOTHawaii for updates.

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