The Hawaii Department of Transportation announced on May 4 its intent to declare a traffic emergency zone on the H-2 Veterans Memorial Freeway at the Waikakalaua Bridge Joint.
This action follows the failure of the Waikakalaua Bridge expansion joint on April 23, which led to temporary steel plates being welded over the affected area. The same joint was previously replaced in August 2025 after an initial failure in May 2024. The department said that declaring a traffic emergency zone under Hawaii Revised Statute §264-1.5 would help speed up repairs and prevent structural damage to the bridge deck.
Repair work will require a single lane closure on the northbound H-2 Freeway between Mililani Town Interchange and Waikalani Drive, scheduled as a continuous closure from 8 p.m. Friday, May 8 through 4 a.m. Monday, May 11. A hearing is required within 24 hours of this designation, and HDOT will hold it virtually via Microsoft Teams at 12:30 p.m. on Monday, May 4.
According to the official website, the Hawaii Department of Transportation manages facilities including multiple airports for domestic and international carriers, commercial harbors, and a statewide highway system. The department operates as part of the executive branch of state government according to its official site. It runs eleven commercial service airports, four general aviation airports, nine commercial harbors and maintains approximately 2,450 lane miles of highways across six major Hawaiian islands according to its official website.
The department’s mission is to deliver safe, efficient, accessible and sustainable transportation that supports mobility for people and goods while fostering economic growth and quality of life according to its official website. Its services extend across all six major Hawaiian islands according to HDOT, working in collaboration with federal agencies such as the Federal Aviation Administration, U.S. Coast Guard and Federal Highway Administration as well as county planning departments according to its official site.
