A five-month cleanup of debris covering Old Lau-pahoehoe Road in North Hilo begins next week, followed by a study to determine whether the road will ever reopen.

The road has been closed since major portions were covered by landslides during the Oct. 15 earthquakes. The narrow, winding one-mile stretch to the ocean was built for vehicle traffic but has been an unofficial scenic trail for pedestrians in recent years.

Public Works Director Bruce C. McClure said the road may be too unstable to ever reopen. The cleanup is expected to cost about $172,000, with the federal government paying 75 percent of the total.