HONOLULU, Hi. -- Traffic on the H-1 freeway near Kapolei has been diverted to a new freeway bypass road.

Motorists traveling in the Kapolei -Kunia area are being asked to be patient as the switch over takes place.

The detour for west bound traffic began at 8:30 p.m. Saturday. On Sunday, Honolulu Bound lanes were affected.

The switch over is being phased in over the weekend when there is less traffic on the road.

The signs warning motorists of the change are posted on both sides of the H-1. It's a six-month detour of traffic that's needed while crews do freeway work related to the new North South Road.

"Crews will be working on two bridges over the stretch of the H-1 freeway. That's why we are diverting cars this way. It's a safety issue," State Transportation Department's Tammi Mori said.

But as work gets under way on the bridges, the detours will mean some inconvenience for commercial trucks, particularly those that are headed toward Grace Pacific's quarry.

"There may be some confusion initially on part of the motorists and the truck drivers until they get used to it," Neighborhood Board Vice Chair Mike Golojuch said.

Grace Pacific said during the week anywhere from ten to 50 trucks need access to a service road that leads up to the quarry. The company has asked its drivers to use take a longer route getting off at either Campbell Industrial Park or Kunia to get to the quarry safely.

"They are doing a little more driving that's true, but it will be safer for people using the bypass so there won't be people crossing it as they are going back and forth on that section," Golojuch said.

Neighborhood boards in the surrounding area are trying to anticipate problems. Some worry that the detour will mean increased traffic along Farington Highway impacting residents in the Kapolie villages. Golojuch worries some drivers will try and use the service road set aside for the commercial trucks.

"Since it turns up toward Makakilo some people may think they can take a short cut to Makakilo and I think a few will try. But there are guard shacks in place that will tell them sorry this is only for trucks going to the quarry," Golojuch said.

The big test for the H-1 detour will come Monday during peak morning and afternoon drive time. Motorists traveling in that area can expect some delays.