Construction to Start on MEO Bus HQ on Puunene Ave.

By David Kvasnicka

Construction is to start on the Maui Economic Opportunity’s Transportation Center, which will be the organization’s new transportation headquarters and bus storage facility.

Project plans for Phase I of the MEO Transportation Center. Image obtained via MEO document (click to enlarge).

The facility will be located alongside Puunene Avenue/Mokulele Highway in Kahului, next to the Sugar Museum and Maui Business Park Phase II, aka the future “Puunene Shopping Center” (currently an empty lot), according to project plans.

MEO spokesperson Debbie Cabebe says that property business Alexander & Baldwin donated 5 acres of land to MEO, while MEO purchased an additional 5 acres at a discounted price.

MEO/Goodfellow Bros. celebratory luncheon for the beginning of construction of the MEO Transportation Center. (L-R) Goodfellow Regional Manager Ray Skelton, MEO Board Member Kathy Louis, MEO’s CEO Lyn McNeff, Goodfellow President Chad Goodfellow, county Dept. of Transportation Director Jo Ann Johnson-Winer. Courtesy photo.

Construction firm Goodfellow Bros. has been contracted to complete Phase 1 of the MEO transit facility, which includes “grading, grubbing, installing the infrastructure, constructing the bus storage area and relocating existing trailers from MEO’s Vevaue Street location (near Kahului Library) to the new site.”

Construction is expected to take nine months.

MEO’s current (soon to be former) bus baseyard on Vevau Street. Photo by MEO Transportation Director Harry Johnson.

Upon its completion, the trailers will serve as offices for MEO transportation operations and the MEO fleet will be relocated, says the company.

“MEO transportation will operate out of this [new] facility. Vevaue Street operations are on state-owned land. We will vacate this location completely,” said Cabebe.

Regarding future phases of development, Cabebe said, “We have applied for additional federal funding to complete additional phases. If funding is awarded, in partnership with the County of Maui, the site will include a transfer station for public transportation.”