Kahului Roads, Airport Slated for Millions in Transportation Upgrades

Puʻunēnē Avenue intersection with Kuihelani Highway, photo by Wendy Osher.

By Wendy Osher

The Governor Abercrombie’s office announced the release of more than $147 million this week for capital improvement projects at state harbors, airports and highways across the state.

The transportation funds will facilitate infrastructure improvements for commerce, and are aimed at improving visitor resident and business travel throughout the state, officials said.

On the roadways, $386,000 was allocated for the widening of Puʻunēnē Avenue between Kamehameha avenue and the Kuihelani Highway; and $76,000 was included for the beautification of Hāna Highway and Kaʻahumanu Avenue.

Five separate appropriations totaling more than $57 million were made for different projects at Kahului Airport including the following:

Kahului Airport, control tower. Photo by Wendy Osher.

• $34,507,500 for pavement structural improvements in the apron area at Taxiway “A” of the Kahului Airport. This is where aircraft park, load/unload, refuel, or board passengers;
• $9,620,000 for the removal and replacement of the aging passenger loading bridges.  They will be replaced with seven new bridges to accommodate wide-body aircraft with direct overseas routes;
• $7,000,000 for additional design elements of a proposed new Consolidated Car Rental Facility, that would relocate and consolidate rental car operations to a new single location;
• $6,465,000 for the removal and replacement of 10 aging  elevators, three escalators, and four moving walkways at Kahului Airport to enhance the efficient movement of passengers; and
• $1,500,000 for the re-roofing of the Kahului Airport terminal building.

Neighbor island funding for Lānaʻi and Molokaʻi includes: a $29,500 appropriation for the replacement of the Makakupaʻia Stream Bridge on the Kamehameha V Highway to meet current design standards; and $550,000 for a update of the Lānaʻi Airport Master Plan and Noise Compatibility Program.