This is how Saddle Road looked while under construction between m.m 19 and m.m 35 recently.
Goodfellow Brothers doing construction work by m.m 35
Near m.m 28 and Mauna Kea Access Road
Driving towards Hilo and past m.m 28
m.m 28 and Mauna Kea Access Road
This is how Saddle Road looks now after construction is complete.
East side of Saddle Road
By m.m 28 and Mauna Kea Access Road
By m.m 35 and Mauna Kea State Park
East side of Saddle Road
Unfortunately those wide rubble margins on the windward side are now becoming overrun by large patches of alien weeds – far more than was growing on the narrow margins of the old road. It’s become a massive weed seed factory. I wonder if that was considered in the EIS? As they move into the rainforest the problem will get worse, and the potential for weed invasion of the surrounding native forests will increase. (hunters and animals carrying seeds in with them) Not only will there be the new weedy road margins, but the abandoned sections of road will be taken over by weeds – especially if they remove the old pavement surfaces from them. First a colossal waste of tax dollars so the road ragers can hit 80MPH across the Saddle, and now this. Wonderful
I’ve noticed that same issue that you’ve mentioned.However in this case this is an unfortunate side effect of the roadway reconstruction.The old Saddle Road was unsafe and dangerous. Thus these improvements had to be done.