MEDIA RELEASE

Road improvement projects continue at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, and motorists are advised to drive with caution, and obey speed limits, traffic flaggers, construction signs, and control
devices.

Here’s a project recap:

* Crater Rim Drive between Kilauea Visitor Center and Highway 11: Pulverizing and repaving will be ongoing for approximately the next six weeks.

* Between Kilauea Military Camp and Highway 11: Asphalt layer finished on inbound then outbound lanes, Feb. 8-16. Expect lane closures.

* Hilina Pali Road is closed during the day from Kulanaokuaiki campground to the lower end near Hilina Pali Overlook. This part of Hilina Pali Road is open this weekend, then will close again when construction resumes Feb. 6-7 and Feb. 13-17. Hilina Pali Road is open at night, on weekends and whenever work is suspended. Once the work zone progresses past Kulanaokuaiki toward Chain of Craters Road, the entire road will be closed during the work day.

* Mauna Loa Road is currently open to motorists for the entire length up to Mauna Loa Lookout. Some work continues, but flaggers are directing vehicles through the work zones. The park will close the upper part of the road from the gate just past Kipukapuaulu during the day Feb. 13-14 for additional work, but will reopen the road overnight.

* Chain of Craters Road will be reduced to one lane in some sections as crews work from the end of the road near the ocean up to Devastation Trail, then from Devastation Trail along Crater Rim Drive to the entrance station.

These two roads are main thoroughfares through the park, and traffic flaggers and control devices will be in place.

Parking Lots along Crater Rim Drive, Chain of Craters Road and other areas will receive more improvements during February. Pavement reconstruction on the parking lot at Kilauea Visitor Center begins Feb. 9, with some areas closed and some areas open. Traffic flaggers will be assigned to divert traffic around the work zones.

Steam Vents. The west half of the Steam Vents parking lot is now closed to motor vehicles, and should reopen next week. When the west half opens, the east half will be closed, as crews reconstruct the road for one-way traffic. These closures will remain in place through the weekends and evenings. Currently, buses cannot enter the area because they cannot turn around.

Entrance Station lanes have been and will continue to be intermittently closed, with inbound and outbound motorists directed accordingly, as crews repave and improve the area.

Due to weather and other variables, project dates listed above are
tentative. Motorists can anticipate delays of up to 15 minutes through construction areas.

“Please continue to pardon our dust as we make these necessary improvements to your national park.” Superintendent Cindy Orlando said.

— Find out more:
www.nps.gov/havo