Finding of No Significant Impact for Puʻunēnē Ave. road widening and improvement project

The state Department of Transportation, Highways division transmitted a Federal Environmental Assessment and a Finding Of No Significant Impact for a proposed Puʹunēnē Avenue Safety Improvements and Road Widening project.

The project aims to increase roadway safety and capacity by adding two additional vehicle lanes and shared shoulders.

Project work would consist of constructing new sidewalks on both sides of Puʹunēnē Avenue, linking Wākea Avenue to Kūihelani Highway.

Bioswales and a shallow underground drainage system would be installed along the length of Puʹunēnē Avenue to improve water quality and reduce the impact that roadway stormwater would have on the existing drainage system.

Traffic signal poles at Papa Avenue would be relocated to accommodate the roadway widening.

Depending on the availability of resources and funding, the project construction is anticipated to begin in early 2023 and be completed in late 2025. Construction of the project is anticipated to be financed by Federal and State funds. The estimated construction cost would depend on the final design and winning construction bid. Preliminary estimates indicate that the road construction would cost approximately $15 million.

The project location is along Puʹunēnē Avenue, between Wākea Avenue and Kūihelani Highway. It is an existing two-lane road with two-way left turn lanes and that runs in a mostly north-south alignment.

The southern end of Puʹunēnē Avenue becomes a two-lane divided highway prior to crossing Kūihelani Highway and becoming Maui Veterans Highway, Route 311; the northern end of Puʹunēnē Avenue becomes a four-lane road prior to crossing Wākea Avenue.