KAPOLEI — A bevy of top state leaders clustered together in a dusty open space between the Kapolei Theaters and Zippy's Restaurant yesterday to celebrate the promise of easier driving in the hub of what sometimes is still referred to as O'ahu's Second City.

The occasion was the groundbreaking of the first phase of the Kapolei Interchange Complex. Celebrants from the governor to a U.S. senator, various state legislators, department heads and neighborhood board members turned shovels of sod to symbolize the moment.

"I'm not an expert on highways," said U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye, who was responsible for raising much of the federal funding for the project.

But having traveled the region's highways, Inouye said he had experienced firsthand the "misery and anger" associated with the area's infamous traffic congestion.

If all goes according to plans, by 2011 folks in Makakilo will be able to do something hitherto all but unimaginable: turn west onto H-1 Freeway from Makakilo Drive without first tooling through perpetually gridlocked Kapolei.

Furthermore, the makai side of Phase One calls for the building of an east-bound ramp, said Brennon Morioka, director of the state Department of Transportation.

"This is going to provide another access point onto the interstate so people coming from the state buildings and city buildings don't all have to cluster down by the shopping center," Morioka said. "Everyone will have multiple access points. That's just going to free up Kamokila and the central part of Kapolei."

The federal government is paying for $15.6 million of Phase One's $16.6 million cost. Kapolei Property Development chipped in $1 million in cash plus 7.8 acres valued at $5 million. The balance of $26,470 was donated by other sources. The state government is paying nothing.

"This is not stimulus money," Gov. Linda Lingle said. "This is separate money that Sen. Inouye got for us."

David Rae, senior vice president for development for Kapolei Property, said Phase Two will feature an H-1 Freeway overpass, and further phases will include additional freeway on- and off-ramps.

"This is a great project," Rae said. "As you know, more and more people are living and working in Kapolei.

"This whole interchange complex will make it much easier for people to get into and out of Kapolei."