Our Featured Projects

This project involved the replacement of over a mile of gravity trunk sewer to be installed via microtunneling along Waiakamilo Road and Houghtailing Street in Honolulu. Okahara and Associates, Inc. was the prime, civil, and mechanical consultant leading a team of engineering and environmentalists to deliver the design and bid package of this $120 million project. The design plans incorporated the new sewer line installation and connections, utility relocations, geotechnical guidance, and structural designs for construction of the essential parts of the sewer system. The bid package also incorporated a comprehensive traffic control plan, numerous State and City permits and approvals, Noise Variance, Geotechnical Report, Archaeological Monitoring Plan, Environmental Hazard Evaluation and Soil Management Plan, and an Environmental Assessment of the project. The major challenges of the project was the coordination of the different disciplines of design; fitting in a new system to operate with an existing system, and planning for the unforeseen circumstances that accompany underground utility installation in an existing utility corridor. Okahara and Associates, Inc. successfully delivered this project to the City within budget and by overcoming such challenges and learning new lessons along the way. The construction of this project began in 2018 and in 2021 was 80% complete.

Big Island, Hawaii

Design Completion: 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 

Okahara was the prime consultant on six separate construction projects, which in total completed 30 miles of re-aligned or re-constructed road under an IDIQ with Federal Highways. Okahara performed all civil engineering and project management duties and led a team of consultants that included the environmental, geotechnical, surveying, structural, and electrical disciplines. Okahara assisted the Federal Highway Administration in obtaining all construction permits including a Conservation District Use Permit, National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Permit, and County of Hawaii Grading Permit. Okahara assisted the Hawaii Department of Transportation, Highways Division in obtaining necessary rights-of-way and utility agreements. Okahara also provided construction support for each phase. All bid packages were delivered on time despite very aggressive schedules and all but one project was completed under budget. The lone project that exceeded the budget involved very difficult site conditions and unforeseen conditions. However, the overall project cost has remained with the budget. We attribute the projects' overwhelming success to the high level of cooperation between Okahara’s Team, the Federal Highway Administration and Hawaii DOT. 

County of Hawaii, Island of Hawaii

Design Completed: 2005 

Prepared design documents for a new 2.0 million gallon concrete reservoir and booster pump station, including connections to existing waterlines as well as the demolition/removal of the existing 0.8 MG Piihonua Reservoir No. 2 and booster pump station. Site improvements included electrical work, instrumentation and controls (SCADA), facility piping, necessary earthwork, drainage facilities, AC pavement, chain link fencing, and landscaping.

Oahu and Hawaii, Hawaii

Design / Construction Completion: 2009 / 2009 

Okahara and Associates, Inc. was the civil and mechanical sub-consultants on the project to design for new "Sprung" type Program Buildings at three Department of Public Safety facilities. The mechanical scope of work involved designing for new air conditioning and penitentiary grade bathroom plumbing fixtures. Of note is that the project was designed and constructed in under 12 months. Okahara's professional services included preparation of design drawings, technical specifications and a basis of design. 

Estimated mechanical construction cost was $850,000. 

Honolulu, Oahu, Hawaii 

Design / Construction Completion: 2010 / 2010 

Okahara and Associates, Inc. was the prime and mechanical consultant for a series Okahara and Associates, Inc. was the prime consultant on the project to design for a replacement roof mounted, air cooled chiller plant to serve Neal Blaisdell Center's Administration Building. The design team prepared a basis of design, plans, specifications and a cost estimate within a compressed schedule. Partial failure of both existing chillers shortly after contract execution required prompt completion of the bid documents. Scope of work included preparing a cooling load model, replacing existing equipment (two 70-ton chillers, chilled water pumps, air separator, chemical pot feeder, valves, and controls), rebalancing the entire air system, and preparing a construction phasing plan.  Subconsultants included structural engineering, environmental and electrical engineering consultants. Okahara was responsible for $180,000 of the $240,000 construction cost. Related projects at the Outrigger Canoe Club to identify underground sewer and storm drain pipe failures, recommend alternatives to repair failing piping, and implement OCC selected repair recommendations. Mechanical scope of work involved conducting a forensic analysis of the existing underground piping system, designing for the installation of cured-in-place pipe lining in underground piping larger than 4-inches in diameter, replacing underground piping 3-inches and smaller in diameter, replacing selected plumbing fixtures, replacing four 120-gallon hot water storage tanks and installing a 750 gallon grease interceptor. Additionally, Okahara was tasked with preparing a design that would minimize disruptions to normal club activities. Okahara's professional services included project management, preparation of an engineering report, design drawings, technical specifications, construction phasing notes, cost estimates, permit applications, coordinating SMA and Archaeological efforts, and construction administration. 

Estimated construction cost was $2.3 million. 

Project manage civil engineering consultant to prepare construction documents for a new public playground using private/public funding at Niu Valley Neighborhood Park. The Niu Valley Community Association raised funds to purchase play apparatus equipment which was donated to the City to be installed at the park. Coordination to prepare plans to accommodate the play apparatus equipment was critical within the given City budgeted funds. The project was successfully completed in 2016. 

Prepare Bid Documents for Design / Build of Site Improvements for Play Apparatus at Various Parks. Review and oversee the design build documents and for the sitework which includes ADA compliant walkways, ramps, picnic table and park benches, grading and drainage, landscape and irrigation and concrete sub-slab to accommodate new play structures. 

County of Hawaii, Department of Parks and Recreation 

Design: 2018 

Modify the existing parking lot egress and layout and address incidental site improvements. Civil engineering, landscaping plan for the entire park preserve area inclusive of irrigation system and interpretive pathway, and archaeological support services.