Intermittent lane closure scheduled on Papaloa Road in Wailua Tuesday

Drivers heading through Wailua will face an intermittent one-lane closure on Papaloa Road on Tuesday, May 19, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Weather permitting, the work zone will be controlled by flaggers while County of Kaua‘i Department of Public Works crews and KIEWIT carry out construction tied to rehabilitation of a sewage pump station.

The county told motorists to use alternate routes, allow extra time and avoid parking in the work zone. The timing makes the slowdown most likely to hit midday traffic on Kaua‘i’s east side, including people traveling between Kapa‘a and Līhu‘e, as well as drivers trying to reach appointments, deliveries or business stops in Wailua. The closure is not a full shutdown, but traffic will be managed through the area one lane at a time.

Public Works said it manages four sanitary sewage facilities, including Wailua, and is responsible for the upkeep of about 235 miles of paved roadways and 40 miles of unpaved roadways across the county. That means a utility project on Papaloa Road can affect more than just sewer infrastructure; it can spill directly into the daily movement of residents, commercial vehicles and service calls in one of the island’s busier corridors.

The lane closure also fits into a longer-running capital improvement effort centered on the Wailua sewage system. County records from February 28, 2024, referenced a resolution authorizing an intergovernmental agreement with the State of Hawai‘i Department of Health for a State Water Pollution Control Revolving Fund loan tied to the Wailua Sewage Pump Station No. 3 Rehabilitation Project, identified as Project No. C150055-06. County purchasing records show a negotiated contract for Wailua SPS No. 3 rehabilitation construction management services was awarded for up to $747,545.

County wastewater planning documents have also pointed to work involving the Wailua Wastewater Treatment Plant and effluent disposal improvements, including process upgrades and rehabilitation of a recycled water force main. Together, the records show that the Papaloa Road lane restriction is part of a broader effort to strengthen wastewater infrastructure in Wailua, with short-term traffic delays helping clear the way for a longer-term utility fix.