NOTICE OF CONSULTATION
SECTION 106 OF THE NATIONAL HISTORIC PRESERVATION ACT OF 1966
AS AMENDED (2006)
WAILUA RIVER BRIDGE PERMANENT REPAIRS
AHUPUAA OF WAILUA, DISTRICT (MOKU) OF PUNA, ISLAND OF KAUAI, STATE OF HAWAII
FEDERAL-AID PROJECT NUMBER: ER-23(001)
TAX MAP KEYS: 3-9-002:021; 3-9-002:030; 3-9-002:999; 3-9-004:006; 3-9-006:009;
3-9-006:012; 3-9-006:016; 3-9-006:029; 3-9-006:999; 4-1-004:001; 4-1-004:005;
4-1-004:006; 4-1-004:007; 4 1 004:008; 4-1-004:020; 4-1-004:999
On June 28, 2020, the State of Hawaii Department of Transportation, Highways Division (HDOT) published a notice in the Garden Island Newspaper requesting individuals and organizations with demonstrated legal, economic or historic preservation interest in the undertaking to contact HDOT and share information you may have on historical and cultural sites that you may have knowledge of within the proposed APE. Since that time, new information has come to light in the design and construction phases that changes the original project understanding of impacts to the 1919 Wailua River Concrete Arch Bridge Remnants.
All of the previously documented description of the undertaking and activities remain the same as previous publication on June 28, 2020. The proposed undertaking remains focused on preserving and extending the life of the existing bridge and to avoid full bridge replacement by replacing the existing Wailua River Bridge piers.
As noted in the description of the undertaking in 2020, the project would include installing two (2) drilled shafts at each existing pier. The existing bridge deck would then be lifted and a beam would be placed above the drilled shafts and under the bridge to support the deck. The superstructure, or deck, would remain intact while new piers would be constructed. However, it has come to our attention that our original assumption that the 1919 Wailua River Concrete Arch Bridge Remnants could be avoided during this work was in error, resulting in an adverse effect.
At pier 7, on the Kapaa side of Wailua River Bridge, the mauka face and the stream-facing portions of the retaining wall associated with the abutments for 1919 Wailua River Concrete Arch Bridge Remnants are close to the existing pier such that they cannot be avoided. FHWA and HDOT have evaluated alternative construction methods that allow for smaller equipment, but none could be identified that would not jeopardize the surrounding environment, compromise the existing Wailua River Bridge structure, compromise the integrity of the repair or result in damaging the abutment.
The proposed project is located in Wailua, Kauai. The area of potential effect (APE) remains the same as the June 28, 2020 publication. No changes to the APE are requested since all work would continue within the existing APE.
Pursuant to Section 106 of the NHPA, we are hereby notifying the public of the adverse effect to the 1919 Wailua River Concrete Arch Bridge Remnant and asking those who have comments or would like to participate as a consulting party to please respond within 30 days of this notice.
Interested participants are requested to contact Mr. Lawrence J. Dill via email at Lawrence.J.Dill@hawaii.gov, or by U.S. Postal Service to 1720 Haleukana Street, Lihue, HI, 96766. Please respond by September 14, 2022.
