LIHU'E, Kaua'i — Drivers can expect a lot of highway construction on Kaua'i over the next couple of years, but highways engineers hope it will lead to much less time sitting in traffic.

Gov. Linda Lingle, Mayor Bryan Baptiste and deputy state transportation director Brennon Morioka reviewed a series of projects yesterday aimed at easing congestion on the island's most clogged thoroughfares.

Key short-term improvements planned for the Kapa'a corridor of Kuhio Highway include the extension of the temporary Kapa'a bypass from its existing terminus at Olohena Road to Kuhio Highway at the north end of Kapa'a — a project expected to be completed by the end of this year.

At the other end of the bypass, there's a plan to expand the highway to four lanes from the bypass intersection in Waipouli south to Kuamo'o road at the Coco Palms Hotel. The project would start in 2007.

Also in 2007, the state Department of Transportation hopes to lay a two-lane bridge atop the existing plantation bridge across Wailua River, or if that's not feasible, to build a separate bridge between the existing bridges. Either option would provide four lanes of traffic across the river, and the four lanes would be extended to Kuamo'o Road.

At Hanama'ulu, the department plans late in 2006 to make one northbound lane a drive-through lane, so traffic won't need to stop for the traffic signals there. Baptiste credited police Officer Joe Kaauwai for identifying that solution to traffic jams at the site.

On the other side of Lihu'e, the department in 2007 expects to start widening from two to four lanes Kaumuali'i Highway from Rice Street to Puhi Road.

Long-term projects, which may be as much as five years from the start of construction, include a permanent Kapa'a bypass road that could include a new four-lane bridge mauka of the existing bridges, and the expansion of Kaumuali'i Highway to four lanes all the way from Puhi Road to Maluhia (or Tree Tunnel) Road.

Reach Jan TenBruggencate at jant@honoluluadvertiser.com.