Ask the Mayor: Who’s Responsible for Repairing a Private Road?

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Mayor Alan Arakawa answers some of the most-asked questions submitted to his office staff.

Dear Mr. Mayor,

Q: I live on Hui Road F and it is a mess, filled with potholes. It is also extremely dangerous to the children and people walking this road as cars swerve all around the potholes. After school, the buses drop the kids off at the bottom of the road and as they walk up the road there are cars swerving all around. I know there is some confusion as to who is responsible for the repairs of this road, but we all pay the same taxes and road fees. I would really like to see this road get repaired before we have an accident. Please get someone out here to fix this. Mahalo. 

A: I checked with our Department of Public Works and unfortunately, Hui Road F is a private road so the owner(s) will need to make the needed repairs. We understand that this Hui Road is under the control of the Second Circuit Court as per a partition action decades ago. It may be possible for the county to accept ownership of the road, but it will take a large effort and some funds to improve it. If there is a Hui Road F association or group that could be formed to act as a single voice on this issue, we have found that type of grassroots action to be a positive way of getting complex issues such as this moving forward and resolved. We would be happy to work with such a group.

Want to Ask the Mayor?

Submit your questions about County of Maui programs, services, operations or policies to Mayor Alan Arakawa via email at [email protected], by phone at 270-7855 or by mail to 200 S. High St., 9th Floor, Wailuku, HI 96793. Questions submitted will be considered for inclusion in the Ask the Mayor column.