Hawaii is a tourist haven with breathtaking beaches but the state's roads and highways take a beating from the tropical climate 

Hawaii's infrastructure has also endured decades of systematic underinvestment. So much so that the state received a D+ on its infrastructure report card from the American Society of Civil Engineers. 

Many thousands of locals and visitors will thus benefit from the new Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which will help spur economic growth and a good deal of decent paying public works union jobs.

Over 664 miles of Hawaii's highway and 84 bridges are in disrepair. Commuting times meanwhile have increased by 9.7% since 2011, and it’s calculated that each driver spends $818 per year due to deteriorating roadways.

Over five years, Hawaii is anticipated to receive about $2.5 billion due to the act. Nearly $1.2 billion will be used to upgrade state highways. 

The Hawaii DOT (HIDOT) plans to allot $67 million of the IIJA for ongoing roadwork, investigation of bridge repairs, new traffic signals, and crash analysis systems. The departments decide upon the projects from those already listed in the Statewide Transportation Improvement Program, according to Deputy Highways Director Ed Sniffen.

Repaving sections of the H-1 and other Oahu roadways with material that, in some cases, might last nearly three times as long as regular asphalt is one of those projects

A high friction surface treatment and new rumble strips at various spots on Oahu are also on the list of safety improvements to prevent serious auto accidents. According to the HIDOT project list, they could be deployed on highway ramps chosen based on crash data and along stretches of the Likelike Highway.

A new crash analysis system that might gather real-time data from police departments is also receiving funding from the IIJA totaling around $245,000 from the DOT.

$3 million in IIJA funding may also be used to upgrade the traffic signals on Oahu so they can respond to alterations in traffic patterns and so lessen congestion.

The IIJA disbursed $224 million, of which $67 million was set aside for current roadway improvements. By the end of September, the DOT must develop a strategy for using the remaining monies.

The cost of repairing Hawaii's infrastructure and retirement systems has been estimated to be upwards of $88 billion. According to DOT estimates, the state could spend $15 billion to defend its oceanfront routes from coastal erosion.

The Congressional delegation from Hawaii has already earmarked funds for a few coastal projects on Maui and Windward Oahu.

The state is anticipated to receive an additional $67 million this year for island bridge repairs. The funds would be used to repair the four bridges along the Big Island's Hamakua coast and the Kolekole, Nanue, Hakalua, and Wailuku Bridges.

The U.S. Departments of Transportation and Energy has announced that the new National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program will allocate more than $17 million to Hawaii over the next five years to fund electric vehicle charging stations statewide under the IIJA.

Hawaii airports will receive about $246 million under the BIL over five years for infrastructure development.

As Contractor News recently reported  HIDOT completed phase 1 of the Kapalama Container Terminal (KCT) project and its procession into Phase 2 in the state’s most important harbor. Honolulu Harbor handles more than 11 million tons of cargo annually as the state's port of entry for almost all of its imported commodities.

Another report by Contractor News explained howt the Hawaiian construction industry has been "remarkably resilient" even during the pandemic. The biggest contributor was the commercial construction bolstered by the resort industry, and infrastructure and public work projects were also underway continuously during this period.

Follow Contractor News for the latest updates on public works construction projects across the United States.