The state is trying to make it safer for people to bike and jog along Nimitz Highway.

On Friday, the Hawaii Department of Transportation will begin installing a fence between the Nimitz viaduct and the adjacent bike path between Ahua and Middle streets.

Officials hope the fence will keep away stray dogs and secure the highway area for department operations and storage.

“We have heard from the community who have had some concerns that some stray dogs are in the area and so we want to be able to create a buffer between the bike path users, who are the bicyclists and pedestrians, and those dogs,” said DOT spokesman Tim Sakahara.

Officials are working in close coordination with various agencies — including the Office of the Homeless Coordinator, the Department of Land and Natural Resources, and service providers — to ensure bike path users and homeless who live in the area are aware of the upcoming work.

“It will be an active construction zone during the time the fence is going up, so we are going to temporarily have to close down the bike path during work here, because there will be heavy machinery, crews working, things like that,” Sakahara said. “So for the safety of everybody, the bike path itself area will have to be closed down.”

The Hawaiian Humane Society will also be on site to care for any stray animals in the area.

No lane closures will be necessary to complete the work.

State law (HRS 264-6 and 264-12) prohibits the placement or storage of structures, vehicles, equipment, or other objects within the state highway right-of-way without HDOT’s permission. Any property remaining in the highway area unattended without authority for a continuous period of at least 24 hours by and that has not been identified as trash will be considered to be abandoned and stored for a minimum of 45 days. Any such abandoned property shall be handled by the State of Hawaii pursuant to HRS 171-31.5.

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