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.

County Spokesperson Laksmi Abraham responded to Maui Now’s inquiry calling the effort a routine cleanup that was being conducted in response to community concerns and complaints regarding conditions at the site.

County crews removed 6.09 tons of trash during today’s cleanup effort along Pūlehu Road, she said.

“The effort is being coordinated in collaboration with the Mayor’s Homeless Coordinator, the Maui Police Department’s CORE team and the Department of Public Works,” said Abraham noting that no individuals are being relocated as part of this effort.

Maui Police Department spokesperson Alana Pico said police were on hand for public safety and to document abandoned vehicles. The police department’s CORE unit (Crisis Outreach and Response through Education), consists of a team that partners with community resources to assist with mental health, substance abuse and unsheltered individuals.

According to Abraham, 34 abandoned vehicles were tagged for removal on Monday.

“County staff are working directly with houseless people in the area to remove unwanted trash and abandoned vehicles while also providing routine outreach, including mental health and supportive services,” she said. “The County regularly visits this area, typically one to two times per month, to help connect individuals with available resources and address health and safety concerns.”

*This post was updated to include additional information provided by the County of Maui.