POSTED: 10:29 pm HST March 1, 2012

HONOLULU -- A $2.2 million sand replenishment project in Waikiki hit a snag recently when a pneumatic blower was deemed too slow to finish the project on time. Instead, contractor Healy Tibbetts will use three specialized trucks to distribute 24,000 cubic yards of sand along Kuhio Beach, one of the most famous beaches in the world and a cornerstone of Waikiki.

"The visitors may be a little inconvenienced, but we'll continue to have the access to the beach and continue to have the pleasant Waikiki experience," said William Aila, chairman of the Department of Land and Natural Resources.

Movement of sand by truck will require patches of the popular beach to close to the public from March 12 through April 14. The closures are scheduled to take place seven days a week from 7 a.m. till noon.

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Since the project began January 23 sand located 1,500 to 3,000 feet offshore has been pumped onto the beach, creating a temporary mound that some are calling "Mount Waikiki." Once the sand is distributed along 1,730 feet of shoreline from the Duke Kahanamoku statue to the Royal Hawaiian and Sheraton Waikiki hotels, the beach is expected to grow in width by as much as 37 feet.

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