The Hawaii Department of Transportation recently issued its Final Environmental Impact Statement or FEIS for the Honoapi‘ilani Highway improvements project.
[Above image by Hawaii DOT]
That $298 million project seeks to move a portion of Honoapi‘ilani Highway further away from the coastline and is intended to provide a reliable transportation facility in West Maui by reducing the highway’s vulnerability to coastal hazards, including sea level rise, higher than normal tides – known as “king tides” – that occur during new or full moons, and storms.
As a result of those issues, over the past 10 years, a long stretch of the Honoapi‘ilani Highway – from Pāpalaua Beach Park to Launiupoko – has been repaired multiple times after storm and high wave events damaged the roadway.
Hawaii DOT noted in a statement that it conducted two public hearings and solicited written comments to gather public feedback on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement or DEIS for the proposed project.
The subsequent FEIS addresses much of the public feedback gathered during the DEIS process, the agency said, including the addition of a shared-use path for pedestrians and bicyclists, a second signalized intersection at Ehehene Street in Ukumehame, potential passing lanes between Ehehene Street and Luawai Street, and some infrastructure changes.
Hawaii DOT added that the publication of the FEIS ensures compliance with the National Environmental Protection Act and signifies that the necessary environmental analysis to move forward has been completed; with work on this highway project expected to begin in 2028.
