Draft environmental assessment details Waiʻale Road extension project

A draft environmental assessment has been completed for an 1.6-mile, southerly extension of Waiʻale Road that would, literally, pave the way for the Waikapū Country Town development.

The $73 million project by the Maui County Department of Public Works would extend Waiʻale Road 8,600 feet from its current end at East Waiko Road, head south over vacant former sugar cane fields and then hook up west with Honoapiʻilani Highway south of the Maui Tropical Plantation.

The new 80-foot-wide road would provide access to 1,433 homes, including 500 affordable units, as part of the master-planned Waikapū development, according to the draft document. The project includes areas for neighborhood retail, commercial, employment uses, a school, parks and open space.

If the roadway project is not built, traffic conditions are expected to worsen with urban growth expected in the area, according to the draft document, which includes an anticipated finding of no significant environmental impact.

Public comments are due Dec. 9.

The draft assessment reports that Maui County and the project developers have agreed to a public/private partnership to support the Waiʻale Road extension, and provide for more affordable housing. In March, the Maui County Council approved a $14 million loan from the county’s Affordable Housing Fund to help finance Aikanaha Phases I and II. The funding is part of $113 million needed to build 212 low-income rental units, which would be the first buildout of Waikapū Country Town.

Aside from two vehicle lanes, the road will have shoulder bikeways, sidewalks, a shared-use path, drainage, underground utilities and grassy swales for stormwater runoff. Four intersections will be evaluated in various configurations, including single-lane roundabouts, traffic signals or other traffic controls. A bridge will be needed to cross Waikapū Stream.

Land needed for the roadway is mostly owned by Waiʻale 905 Partners LLC, Waiko Baseyard LLC and Maui County. Property on the northern side of the project is owned by Heona Investments LLC and Geste L. and Chaminade Ornellas. A small portion of the project near Old Quarry Road to the southwest is owned by Waikapū Properties LLC.

Roadway construction is expected to take from 18 to 24 months, beginning in late 2025 after required regulatory permits and approvals.

To see the draft project environmental assessment, click here. The county’s planning consultant is Munekiyo Hiraga. To submit comments, email them to waialeroad@munekiyohiraga.com.