Department of Transportation

KAUNAKAKAI – A dedication ceremony was held this morning by the Hawaii Department of Transportation (HDOT) for the Kawela Stream Bridge Replacement Project on Molokai’s Kamehameha V Highway. The $6 million project replaced the original bridge, constructed in 1940, with a new bridge that meets modern seismic and hydraulic standards.

The new bridge is 21-feet longer and 19-feet wider than the original and provides 10-foot shoulders on either side for pedestrians and bicyclists. It is also 2-feet higher, providing additional capacity for water flow for the Kawela Stream beneath.

“The Kawela Stream has seen several incidents of flooding during heavy rains in the past two decades that cut off eastside residents from the rest of the island and this new bridge will help to address that,” said Ford Fuchigami, HDOT Interim Director. “We want to thank the Molokai community for their patience during the construction.”

The streambed beneath the new bridge has been lined with concrete to protect the banks from erosion and to facilitate maintenance. The new bridge structure is 65-feet-long, 47-feet-wide and seven feet high. Federal funds provided 80-percent of the total cost with 20-percent in state funds.

The new bridge is 21-feet longer and 19-feet wider than the original and provides 10-foot shoulders on either side for pedestrians and bicyclists. It is also 2-feet higher, providing additional capacity for water flow for the Kawela Stream beneath.

State and federal dignitaries untie a ceremonial maile lei to officially dedicate the new Kawela Stream Bridge.