H-1 Closure, Gridlock Raise Concerns About Traffic During Emergencies

“How was traffic this morning? Bad as always. It was just terrible,” said Honolulu resident Ezekiel Stewart.

According to Hawaii News Now, an early-hour shutdown of the H-1 Freeway diverted vehicles onto adjacent roads, causing commuter frustration and casting doubt on Honolulu’s crisis-response mobility during emergencies, Hawaii News Now reported.

Police shut down most lanes of the H-1 around 3 a.m. on Friday after a man was reported standing above the Liliha Street overpass. The man was later found dead. Police classified the case as an unattended death.

Roger Morton, director of the city Department of Transportation Services, said that congestion quickly expanded to primary thoroughfares as lane availability dropped from four down to one.

“We went from four lanes down to one lane, with only one lane, you’re cut down. So the 6,000 or so it just goes everywhere,” Morton said.

Drivers flooded King Street, Dillingham, and Nimitz Highway, while smaller side streets quickly clogged with motorists hunting for alternate routes. The city’s transportation team adjusted traffic signals to ease the strain.

Recalling the events of 2025, commuters said that a past tsunami warning had similarly driven people toward high ground while sparking massive traffic jams, showing how critical situations leave residents vulnerable when seconds count.

“I do think it’s a safety hazard,” said Brandi Stadel, who commutes from Mililani by bus. Stadel told Hawaii News Now that her trip took significantly longer than usual, noting she is usually to work by 10 to six, and she did not get in until about 6:35 p.m.

“The question is what do you do? I will say this though. If the train actually came downtown like it was supposed to, I would have been on the train this morning and I would have made it into work on time,” Stadel added.

Morton said that the city has since emphasized coordination between emergency responders and transportation officials. When emergencies happen, the city immediately staffs the bridge in the Joint Traffic Management Center with first responders and traffic engineers.

Meanwhile, the Department of Transportation Services is working to improve traffic signal coordination along Farrington Highway. Upgrades to aging traffic signal controllers commenced last month along the Kapolei-to-Makaha corridor, as stated by Morton.

“We just started a project last month to get our connected traffic signals all the way out to Makaha, from Kapolei all the way to Makaha,” Morton said.

Stewart said he remains worried about how gridlock would impact evacuation efforts during another emergency.

“Traffic is always bad like in the mornings and right after work,” Stewart told Hawaii News Now. “So I don’t know what we do in that situation for the tsunami.”