Highways

LIHUE – The Hawaii Department of Transportation (HDOT), Highways Division, announces start of construction for the Kuhio Highway Short-Term Improvements will begin Monday, March 1, 2021. The Kuhio Highway Short-Term Improvements Project is designed to improve traffic congestion on Kuhio Highway through Kapaa-Wailua corridor by adding an additional southbound lane between Kuamoo Road and the Temporary Kapaa Bypass Road.

Additional improvements will increase safety for all road users, including pedestrians and bicyclists, by installing guardrails, sidewalks, and curb ramps, as well as updating pavement markings and landscaping.

“This has truly been a collaborative effort to improve the quality of life for residents and business owners. I truly appreciate the partnership that has gone into addressing the needs of the community, mitigation of cultural impacts, and wildlife concerns as we prepared this much needed project,” said Governor David Ige.

The Kuhio Highway Short-Term Improvements project was made possible through the support of our Kauai legislative delegation, County of Kauai’s Departments of Planning, Public Works and their Transportation Agency, Kauai PATH, the Wailua-Kapaa Neighborhood Association, Kapaa Business Association, Kapaa High School, Kapaa Middle School, and the Kauai Visitors and Convention Bureau. The project limits extend between mile markers 5.9 and 6.6 on Kuhio Highway, near the Wailua River to the Coconut Marketplace Shopping Center. Estimated construction cost for the project is $17 million, with eighty-percent provided through federal funding and the remainder from state funds. A daily average of 32,500 vehicles utilize this stretch of Kuhio Highway. The anticipated completion date of construction is Spring 2023.

Construction lane closures for state roadways including Kuhio Highway are updated every Friday on https://hidot.hawaii.gov/roadwork and on our social media accounts https://www.facebook.com/HawaiiDepartmentOfTransportation and https://twitter.com/DOTHawaii.