HONOLULU (KHON2) – Construction is underway to make a popular tourist attraction safer.
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If you live on the back side of Diamond Head, you may have noticed bright lights coming from the tunnel entrance to the crater.
Several residents in the area declined to speak on camera, but said they noticed it this week and were curious about what was going on.
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According to the Department of Land and Natural Resources, it’s all part of Diamond Head State Monument’s rockfall mitigation.
The work started on January 6 and is intended to strengthen the area above and around the tunnel entrance.
“Safety is a priority, and we have had problems with falling rocks,” Kahala Neighborhood Board Member Richard Turbin said. “God forbid, if a stone falls on one of the tourists, or on one of you, our local friends, it would be tragic.”
DLNR had closed the hike on May 16, 2024 after heavy rains caused runoff and minor rock slides along the trail and at the tunnel entrance.
The project is expected to be completed around July 25, 2025, but may take longer. Available hours for the popular Diamond Head Crater hike will be reduced during construction.
The Diamond Head State Monument website states that due to construction, the park closes at 2:00 PM Monday through Friday instead of 6:00 PM, excluding weekends and holidays. The last accepted reservation for the walk on weekdays is at 12:00 noon.
By closing the park earlier, the work can also be carried out at night.
“They stop at ten o’clock,” Turbin said. ‘It certainly won’t disrupt people’s sleep. Therefore, I would like to encourage the neighbors to be as patient as possible and help the city workers complete the job as quickly as possible.”
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