Highway at Olowalu, Ukumehame to be moved mauka soon
OLOWALU (KHON2) — A major highway project on Maui is nearing the final stages before being contracted out.
Controversial STR bill to be heard by Maui Council June 9
The scenic coastal Honoapiʻilani highway is a single two-lane highway that currently serves as the primary access route to and from west Maui, and for years the five-mile stretch has been impacted by storms, waves and high tide events.
Honoapiʻilani Highway from Ukumehame to the current bypass at Launiupoko is set to move mauka soon, and the community still has come to comment on what the current highway area will look like in the future. The state Department of Transportation has made it a priority to move the highway mauka for years.
'We're looking at a half-mile up the slope, so it will start on southern end of the bypass where it is now so we'll move it up the slope in that area where we're away from different developments, minimize the land taking of areas people are in,' Hawaii DOT director Ed Sniffen explained.
Maps show the highway will begin to shift away from the ocean near Pāpalaua Wayside Park all the way to Olowalu.
Sniffen says most of the land for the future route is owned by the county and some unoccupied developer properties will have to be acquired.'The further we can move away from the ocean the better for everyone, from a resiliency perspective, efficiency, and dependability,' Sniffen continued.
'The discussion now is what happens to this existing portion here between the two once we relocate?' Sniffen explained. 'Do we keep it as a road? Do we turn it into a bike and pedestrian path? Get rid of it all together? Those are things [The Nature Conservancy] are studying now.'
The Nature Conservancy received a grant from Senator Brian Schatz to look at what happens to the lower, current road, once the state finishes building the new upper road.
'The realignment of Honoapiʻilani Highway offers an incredible opportunity for us to look forward and envision what this coastal corridor could look like, how we can protect the area as much as possible,' explained Tamara Farnsworth, Coastal Resilience Project manager for The Nature Conservancy.
The group has held several community meetings with ideas ranging from wetland restoration, native vegetation restoration, boardwalks, bike paths, stream restoration and more.
'This is a very special place, hundreds of cultural resources in the area, it's of utmost importance that those are protected and the resources are protected,' she continued.
Sniffen says when the state turns it over to the county, the areas typically stay with beach access, but it is no longer the main route to get to the area.
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The final environmental impact statement will be complete by September.
Sniffen said the realignment should begin by Summer 2026 and be completed by early 2029.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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