Lahaina Site Inspection to Focus on Traffic Flow in Wharf Area

By Wendy Osher

Maui Bus file photo by Wendy Osher.

Some members of the Maui County Council’s Infrastructure Management Committee will travel to their next site inspection aboard the Maui Bus. The journey on Monday morning will begin at the County Building in Wailuku, and continue to the Wharf Cinema Center bus stop, where members will assess safety and related concerns.

The Committee–whose oversight responsibilities include the Department of Transportation, which manages the Maui Bus–will review traffic flow concerns along Luakini Street in the area of the Wharf Cinema Center.  Residents raised concerns that the current traffic pattern does not allow bus riders to exit the bus in the area onto the sidewalk.

The Department of Transportation has proposed that one-way traffic along Luakini be reversed from north-bound to south-bound between Prison and Dickenson Streets.  The County DOT, Maui Police Department and Traffic Safety Council support the change.

Committee Chair Elle Cochran said the proposal to reverse the traffic flow is just one option under consideration and that moving the bus stop could also be considered.

“I look forward to utilizing the Maui Bus and am encouraging my colleagues to consider taking the bus to the site inspection as well,” Cochran said. “This will enable the members to conduct their committee business while at the same time directly participating in this public transportation system that the County has worked so hard to support.”

Monday’s site inspection will be followed by a decision-making meeting at a later date in the Council Chamber.