LAHAINA (HawaiiNewsNow) – West Maui residents are demanding state officials do more to help them with the daily traffic jams in Lahaina.

Hawaii Department of Transportation officials promised residents they will open Honoapiilani Highway to help alleviate traffic on the Lahaina Bypass.

The announcement comes the day after a Hawaii News Now story about residents’ frustrations.

“With Honoapiilani Highway, we heard from a community, gotta get it open. We know the traffic has been frustrating for all of you. So, we heard, get it open before the school year starts, and that’s what we’re doing. August 1st is our target,” said Robin Shishido, Deputy Director for state highways.

While many locals are grateful, some say it will only help a little.

“Totally support that. Totally, totally support that. But it still doesn’t solve the problem. You know what I mean. Still doesn’t really solve the problem about the tourists going to Kaanapali,” said West Maui resident Junya Nakoa.

So, in addition, residents are also asking DOT to extend the Lahaina Bypass north to eliminate congestion on Keawe Street.

However, at the Disaster Recovery Meeting Wednesday night, Shishido said that is not a priority.

“Right now, it is not in our program. It’s not on our priority list. New capacity projects, again, are not,” Shishido said.

“But maybe it should be on the priority list,” one community member said at the meeting.

“We are telling you to put that on your agenda,” said another community member at the meeting.

“Forty thousand of us told them no reopen Lahaina too soon. We’re not ready. But no, they like open it up to tourism and we gotta suffer. Lahaina people gotta suffer the consequences because of the traffic that they caused,” Nakoa said.

Shishido said he hears them, will pass it on to his director and will come back with some answers.

Copyright 2024 Hawaii News Now. All rights reserved.

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – Three pop-up learning exhibits that intertwine STEM learning and Native Hawaiian culture are being featured at West Oahu this month.

The latest edition to the Kaulele Project from nonprofit INPEACE is now open at Ka Makana Alii.

Their newest exhibit, Loko I’a, opens Thursday and runs through the end of the month.

Loko I’a focuses on the science and significance of native, ancient Hawaiian fishponds and food gathering practices.

Also featured is the nonprofit’s first exhibit “The Science of Kapa” and “Kaulana Mahina.”

These STEM learning exhibits offer hands-on activities targeted ideally for keiki ages 7 to 14 years old.

They’re designed to travel to various communities to bring informal learning resources to rural communities and empower educational equity.

”We are open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and we want people to know this exhibit is free of charge and great for the entire ohana,” said Alakai Aglipay, Kaulele Project Manager.

”We seek to create opportunities that empower individuals and families to stay in their communities and pursue their aspirations. By creating pathways, learning experiences, and support that promote academic success and lasting financial well-being, we aim to cultivate stronger, more vibrant economic futures for our communities,” said Maile Keliipio-Acoba, Chief Executive Officer of INPEACE.

INPEACE is a nonprofit founded in 1994 by three wahine who were working in Native Hawaiian education and had a strong commitment to community and culture-based education.

If you would like to learn more about the Kaulele Project, INPEACE or the new exhibit (including an event to celebrate the addition) click here.

Copyright 2024 Hawaii News Now. All rights reserved.

A land dispute regarding a pair of Puna land parcels Hawaii County needs access to in order to reopen Pohoiki Road seems unlikely to be resolved cordially.

In order to reopen Pohoiki Road — which closed more than six years ago when lava from the 2018 Kilauea eruption buried a large stretch of the pavement — the Department of Public Works needs to widen the road. And in order to widen the road, DPW needs permission from landowners to access properties adjacent to the road.

DPW director Steve Pause told the County Council earlier this month that his department has secured rights of access for all but two relevant parcels. Lacking consent from the owner of those two parcels, the council stated its intent to initiate the eminent domain process, which allows the government to seize private property for public us.

The two parcels in question are together about 660 acres in size. The larger of the two — 657 acres — is subject to an arrangement with Puna Geothermal Venture, whose facility partially extends into the property.

At the time, A. Lono Lyman, a manager for property owner Kapoho Land and Development Co., said he had not had any substantive discussions with Pause or the county regarding the use of his land, but added he would be open to negotiations.

On Wednesday, Pause told the council that he had spoken to Lyman after the previous discussion. However, he did not sound optimistic that a mutually agreeable arrangement could be reached, saying that he and Lyman ultimately “agreed to disagree.”

“Mr. Lyman did follow up on June 10 with a letter to Mayor (Mitch) Roth, and he expressed a desire to settle,” Pause said. “But, by my interpretation, it was more of a demand.”

Pause said Lyman’s letter included several unspecified conditions for the use of the land, which Pause consulted with Roth and the county corporation counsel about.

Lyman did not testify at Wednesday’s meeting.

Pause had previously told the council the amount of construction required on the parcels is minimal, involving less than a single acre across both, and largely amounting to slope cutbacks and grading. He also said access to all parcels needs to be resolved before the project can be put out to bid.

The council voted unanimously Wednesday to approve the resolution authorizing eminent domain proceedings, thereby passing its second of two required readings.

“It’s not pretty,” said Puna Councilwoman Ashley Kierkiewicz, who had encouraged Pause to reach out to Lyman after the previous council meeting. “I don’t want to cause division in the community. But we need this road back. It’s been six years.”

Lyman had previously suggested to the Tribune-Herald that he intends to fight the eminent domain process in court.

Email Michael Brestovansky at mbrestovansky@hawaiitribune-herald.com.