HONOLULU -- Drivers heading into East Honolulu were in the dark Monday night. The street lights are out over a long stretch of Kalanianaole Highway.

The outage affects the eastbound lanes and starts shortly after the H-1 Freeway turns into Kalanianaole Highway.

Officials said there would be no lights in that area until the end March. Until then, it will be difficult to see bikers and runners on the stretch of Kalanianaole Highway.

The state's Transportation Department said the problem is rooted in an aging light system that is broken and required an upgrade.

"The system itself is actually really, really ancient, so they don't even make parts anymore to replace the broken parts," DOT spokeswoman Tammy Mori said.

The DOT had to switch to an updated system, which required ordering new parts from the mainland. The DOT is asking drivers for their patience and urging commuters to use extra caution.

DOT crews are working weekends to replace the system.

"The HECO will take over and transition the new system into their system," Mori said of Hawaiian Electric Company.

That should be complete by the end of next month, which has some commuters concerned.

"You don't realize how dark it is until you don't have any lights," Waialae resident Nancy Uramoto said. "It's very dangerous and I just hope they can get to it as soon as possible because somebody's going to get into an accident."

Manoa resident Gary Murakami said, "It's dangerous without lights. It's one of the busiest highways on the island."

Murakami, a soccer coach, said he was concerned for his players and their parents who must travel through the dark to get to and from soccer practice.

"We thought that some of the neighbors don't like the lights on because it shines into their home," Murakami said.

In a separate development, street lights have also been out on both sides of the H-1 freeway in the past week from the KoKo Head off-ramp through Kalanianaole Highway. But they were back on Monday night. The DOT is investigating.