“A lot of my family is on the Puna side and we have other family in Kona,” Barcia said. Hilo resident Hayley Hina Barcia worries about the difficulty of reaching west-side surf spots and relatives in different parts of the island. “So we’re prepared to do that if we have to,” Matsuda said. The telescopes previously have shut down for multi-day or weeklong winter storms. Matsuda hopes they’ll be able to use gravel or other bypass routes if that happens. There’s also a chance the lava flow may head directly across the lower part of Mauna Kea Access Road, which could block workers from reaching the summit. Keck Observatory, said telescopes may need to adjust staff schedules and house workers at a facility partway up the mountain for a while so they don’t have to commute. Rich Matsuda, associate director for external relations at W.M. READ MORE: Native Hawaiians gain more authority over future of sacred mountain, astronomy site If lava crosses Saddle Road on either side of Mauna Kea Access Road, many telescope workers would be forced to take long, circuitous routes. The road heading to Mauna Kea’s summit is midway between Hilo and Kona. Outrigger Kona Resort & Spa plans to provide rooms at a Kailua-Kona hotel so its dozen or so Hilo-based employees can avoid the long commute five days per week.Ī shutdown could also affect major astronomy research at the summit of Mauna Kea, a 13,803-foot (4,207-meter) peak next to Mauna Loa that is home to some of the world’s most advanced telescopes. Fly over, see the doctor, come back would actually be quicker than driving.” “It might even be quicker just to fly to Honolulu,” she said of the hour flight. Amidst throngs of tourists, delivery trucks and commuters forced to reroute, Harrison said she couldn’t imagine the congestion. There are more than 200,000 Big Island residents. Tanya Harrison of Hilo said she would need a full day off work to travel to her doctor in Kona. READ MORE: Here’s what you need to know about the eruption of Hawaii’s Mauna Loa volcano “That drastically reduces my amount of time that I would be able to spend with my family,” he said. If he left at 5 p.m., he wouldn’t get home until 8 p.m. Manley said he would have to get up at 3 a.m. “It’s going to take a lot to rethink how we move about on Hawaii Island,” she said. Lee Loy, who represents Hilo and parts of Puna, said she’s concerned about big rigs traveling across aging coastal bridges. Hilo also is one of the island’s major harbors, where a wide variety of goods arrive by ship before proceeding across the island by truck. The state Department of Transportation took steps Thursday to remove potential traffic obstacles on the northern coastal route by reopening a lane across Nanue Bridge that was closed for repairs. Inouye Highway, connects the two communities. Saddle Road, also known as Route 200 or Daniel K. But many jobs at beach resorts, in construction and other industries are readily available on the west side, where Kailua-Kona is located. There are more affordable housing options on the island’s east side, home to the county seat, Hilo. The slow-moving flow was coursing about 2.7 miles (4.3 kilometers) from the road Friday, U.S. READ MORE: How can Hawaii stop lava flow from reaching human infrastructure? But its path is unpredictable and could change course, or the flow could stop completely and spare the highway. The lava is oozing slowly at a rate that might reach the road next week. Manley fears he might lose pay if an accident or other traffic disruption along an alternate route delays his arrival. If the highway closes, he anticipates driving two-and-a-half to three hours in each direction. “I am very nervous about it being cut off,” said Frank Manley, a licensed practical nurse whose commute is already an hour and 45 minutes each way from his home in Hilo to a Kaiser Permanente clinic in Kailua-Kona. That could add hours to commute times, doctor’s visits and freight truck deliveries. The molten rock could make the road impassable and force drivers to find alternate coastal routes in the north and south. HILO, Hawaii (AP) - Many people on the Big Island of Hawaii are bracing for major upheaval if lava from Mauna Loa volcano slides across a key highway and blocks the quickest route connecting two sides of the island.
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