Pūlehu Road: Heavy equipment, police cruiser reported on scene; traffic blocked

Heavy equipment and a police cruiser were observed Tuesday morning on Pūlehu Road between Hoʻokele Street and Hansen Road, near Safeway, with the work blocking traffic in both directions.

A CAT 950M wheel loader was seen loading material into a dump truck on the roadway shortly before 9 a.m. Tuesday. Several abandoned vehicles were observed on the west shoulder of the road. The area has a known history of people living in vehicles along that stretch.

Maui Police Department spokesperson Alana Pico said police were on hand for public safety and to document abandoned vehicles, but Maui County was the lead on the operation.

The police response included members of the C.O.R.E. unit (Crisis Outreach and Response through Education), a team that partners with community resources to assist with mental health, substance abuse and unsheltered individuals.

MauiNow submitted a media query to the County of Maui on Tuesday morning for further information, and is awaiting response.

No advance public notice of the activity was found on the Maui County website page for “latest news.”

This story will be updated as information becomes available.