Kaneohe-bound Likelike Highway to close overnight for tunnel lighting work

State Department of Transportation said it will close the Kaneohe-bound lanes of the Wilson Tunnel on Likelike Highway from 8 p.m. today until 4 a.m. Wednesday for emergency lighting and pavement marking installations.

H-3 Freeway and the Pali Highway will be open for Kaneohe-bound motorists during the work.

DOT officials said this afternoon that the repairs were needed after the Wilson Tunnel lights went out when the heavy rains and powerful wind of Tropical Storm Lala on Aug. 16 heavily damaged poles, circuits, and power lines in the area.

Tonight through early Wednesday morning, crews will string emergency lighting through the Kaneohe-bound Wilson Tunnel and pavement markings will be “refreshed to increase visibility through the tunnel,” officials said in a news release.

If the work is effective, “crews will return to outfit the Honolulu-bound tunnel with the same measures.” The timing of the work for the Honolulu-bound tunnel will be announced once it is scheduled, they said.

Hawaiian Electric Co. will continue repair work in the mountainous area surrounding the tunnels on a Monday through Saturday, from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily, according to DOT.

For that work, crews will close the right shoulder of Honolulu-bound Likelike Highway after the Wilson Tunnel. The work is expected to last through Sept. 25, excluding holidays.