Ask the Mayor: Why Isn’t the Pali Patrolled in the Early Hours of the Weekend?

DUI checkpoint. Photo courtesy Big Island Now.

Mayor Alan Arakawa answers some of the questions submitted to his office staff. Submit your own questions about County of Maui programs, services, operations or policies to Mayor Alan Arakawa via email at [email protected], call 270-7855 or send them 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.

Aloha Mayor,

Q: I drive the pali almost every Sunday at around 3 a.m. and almost every time see drivers either having trouble staying in their lanes, slowing and speeding up, passing at the lookout and obviously impaired. Why isn’t the pali patrolled in the early hours of the weekends? Mahalo.

A: With the implementation of the Bike Unit (Traffic Section), Maui Police Department has ramped up more enforcement along Honoapi‘ilani Highway including the pali area. The pali is split between two districts; the Kīhei-side of the tunnel is District 6 or Kīhei Patrol, and the Lahaina-side of the tunnel is District 4 or Lahaina Patrol.