Wailua Bridge Closure Sunday Morning to Affect Kūhiō Traffic
The Hawai‘i Department of Transportation will close the mauka Wailua River Bridge over Kūhiō Highway on Sunday, Nov. 16, from 6–10 a.m. for concrete work as part of the Wailua Bridge Repair Project. The short-term closure will shift Līhuʻe-bound traffic onto a contraflow lane on the adjacent Mayor Bryan Baptiste (Plantation) Bridge and signals a series of additional closures through the project’s March 2026 target completion.
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The Hawai‘i Department of Transportation (HDOT) will temporarily close the mauka Wailua River Bridge spanning Kūhiō Highway between Kuamoʻo Road and North Leho Drive on Sunday, Nov. 16, from 6–10 a.m. Crews will pour concrete for a diaphragm at Pier 7 as part of the ongoing Wailua Bridge Repair Project.
To maintain traffic flow during the work, Līhuʻe-bound motorists will be shifted to a contraflow configuration on the adjacent Mayor Bryan Baptiste (Plantation) Bridge. The temporary traffic pattern will provide one northbound lane and one southbound lane on the Plantation Bridge while the mauka bridge is closed. Motorists should expect changes to normal lane patterns and follow posted signage and traffic control measures through the closure period.
The early-morning work is intended to limit disruption during peak daytime and evening hours, but the closure still affects commuters, school traffic, and local businesses that rely on Kūhiō Highway as a primary artery between Wailua and Līhuʻe. Even a short-term reconfiguration can create backups approaching the bridge zones, so drivers planning travel during the closure window should allow extra time and anticipate slower-moving traffic.
HDOT anticipates roughly a dozen additional closures of the mauka bridge as the repair project progresses, with those closures scheduled at night after seabird fallout season to reduce impacts on protected bird populations. The project is currently targeted for completion in March 2026, reflecting the phased nature of structural repairs and environmental scheduling considerations on Kaua‘i.
Beyond the immediate inconvenience, the repair work aims to preserve a critical link in the island’s transportation network. Kūhiō Highway carries local commuters, school buses, commercial deliveries and visitor traffic; maintaining bridge integrity is central to public safety and to minimizing longer-term economic disruptions. For an island community that relies on a limited number of crossings, planned closures require coordinated traffic management to ensure continued access for emergency services and essential travel.
Residents should watch HDOT advisories and local traffic updates in the days ahead for any changes to timing or detour instructions. By scheduling the next series of closures predominantly at night and after seabird fallout season, the project balances infrastructure needs with environmental stewardship. The work on the Wailua bridges is a reminder of how infrastructure maintenance, environmental protection and daily life intersect on Kaua‘i, with implications for commuters and the broader community through 2026.
