Hāna Highway closed at Alelele Point near Kīpahulu in wake of recent rockfall

Due to safety issues in the wake of recent rockfall, the County of Maui will close Hāna Highway from Alelele Bridge to Lelekea Bridge near Kīpahulu in East Maui beginning tonight, May 10.

Motorists will not be able to travel between Hāna and Kaupō areas during the closure, which may extend up to a month, according to a County of Maui news release.

County crews will be working to stabilize cliffside conditions including removing loose rocks. An engineering assessment on Wednesday, May 10, deemed the cliffside unsafe.

Motorists can still drive from the Kahului Airport in Central Maui to Hāna-Maui Resort in East Maui via the Hāna Highway. The closure impacts travel in the Kīpahulu area beyond Hāna town, preventing motorists from traveling around the “back side” that connects East Maui and South Maui. More information is posted here.

Message boards will be placed in Kanaio and in Hāna to alert motorists about the road closure.

In recent days, rockfall has obstructed the road, creating hazardous conditions. Last week, a vehicle was damaged in the area from rocks and cliffside mud. The driver was uninjured, but the incident triggered an assessment of safety conditions.