Explosive removal in Waimea on Monday, June 17

WAIMEA, Hawaii – Explosives and military ordnance at the Sandalwood Subdivision in Waimea will be removed in a project scheduled for Monday, June 17th.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers plans to investigate the Formerly Used Defense Site (FUDS), which is just a small part of the 137,000 acre former Waikoloa Maneuver Area. The area served as a training camp for 50,000 men in the 2nd and 5th Marine Divisions during World War II. The Army Corps of Engineers is working in coordination with the State Department of Health, the Hawaii County Police Department, Hawaii County Civil Defense, Hawaii County Fire Department, and State Department of Transportation.

Officials say motorists can expect traffic delays on June 17 from 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on Kawaihae Road (Highway 19) between Mile Markers 58 and 59. Traffic will be stopped for 5 to 10 minutes and opened for 15 to 20 minutes continuously throughout the day between the scheduled times, the Army Corps of Engineers wrote in a media release.

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

“The intermittent closures are necessary to allow for the safety of motorists and passersby as any ordnance is identified and removed. This process is also an effort to minimize the impact on the community and to maintain a reasonable flow of traffic throughout the day. We apologize for the inconvenience but this public safety work is necessary in order to minimize potential explosive safety hazards, protect human health, and for the safety of the Sandalwood subdivision residents and the general public.”