Safety and Preparedness

'Lava Bridges' Might Be Key to Keeping Roads Open near Kilauea Volcano

It has been nearly two weeks since the first lava fissures opened up in the Leilani Estates neighborhood on the southern end of Hawaii's Big Island, and hundreds of residents remain under evacuation orders as Kilauea continues to spew. Now, with many roads closed, and other important thoroughfares threatened by lava, officials might have a plan to keep some of these roads open.

Authorities are reportedly considering "lava bridges" that could be set down on top of the cooling lava so roads, such as Highway 132, could remain open as long as conditions remain safe, Hawaii News Now reported. Made of insulated mats, the "bridges" would be able to withstand temperatures as high as 2,000 degrees, the report added.

(MORE: The Latest Information from Kilauea)

Lava erupts at a temperature of 2,140 degrees but quickly cools as it turns orange and red before hardening into a black crust, according to volcanologist Dr. Janine Krippner. In other words, as long as these bridges are built over lava that has already cooled, lava temperatures should be far beneath the threshold for the mats.

Officials were also able to reopen a stretch of Highway 130 on Wednesday that had been closed because of cracks in the roadway, KITV.com reported. Metal plates were placed over the cracks so local traffic could resume use of the roadway, the report added.