Māla Ramp Closure for Repairs Subject of Upcoming Meeting

Mala. File photo by Wendy Osher.

By Wendy Osher

An update on the planned Māla Ramp closure for repairs is scheduled to take place this Thursday, Nov. 7, in West Maui, officials announced.

The $892,000 project calls for the replacement of two existing concrete loading docks, and is expected to take approximately 60 days to complete.

State officials plan to provide an update on when construction materials are projected to arrive; and when a new date for ramp closure can be set.

The meeting, hosted by the state Department of Land and Natural Resources Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation, Maui district, will begin at 2 p.m. in the Pioneer Inn, Snug Harbor Room, located on Wharf Street in Lahaina.

“We will keep this heavily used facility ramp open to accommodate local fishers who want to launch into the waters off western Maui during the holiday season when demand for access and certain fish stocks is high,” said DLNR chair, William Aila, in a department-issued press release.

“We have assurances from our Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation, the agency that maintains and manages the facility, that it is physically possible for the ramp and existing piers to remain open and usable until the repair project start date,” he said.

In earlier reports, DLNR officials described the docks are “old and badly deteriorated.” According to information released by the agency, officials said the docks need to be replaced before they become a safety hazard.

A large, $669,000 portion of the project, is covered by federal funds from a Sportfish Restoration Act for Boat Access grant administered by the US Fish and Wildlife Service.

The remaining $223,000 is funded by a state appropriation, officials said.