#olowalu
Olowalu residents fear failing crops, fire risks if water company raises rates dramatically
Olowalu Water Company wants to increase annual revenues by 325%, which residents say would make it nearly impossible to afford water for farming.
Mayor Bissen’s 2026 State of the County Address
In his address, he highlighted Maui County’s continued progress across housing, recovery, well-being and economic stability, while outlining actions to strengthen communities and build a resilient future.
List: Maui lane closures through March 6, 2026
The state Department of Transportation will be conducting road work this week that will result in lane closures at various locations. Lane closure schedules may change at any time without further notice. All projects are weather permitting.
Tuesday night closures on Honoapiʻilani Highway for rock scaling and removal
Crews will be removing a boulder caught in the protective netting and also performing rock scaling and other rock removal work from 9 p.m., Tuesday, Jan. 20 to 4:30 a.m., Wednesday, Jan. 21. The work will be between mileposts 10.45 to 10.55 on the Lahaina side of the Olowalu Tunnel, also known as the “Pali Tunnel.” The road will be intermittently closed in both directions for up to 10 minutes.
Restoration now complete at Olowalu temporary wildfire debris storage site
USACE led the major operation requiring clearance of roughly 400,000 tons of wildfire debris. Debris transfer to the temporary Olowalu site, adjacent to a former landfill, from the devastating 2023 wildfires began in January 2024. The transfer from the TDS to the Permanent Disposal Site in Central Maui began June 16, 2025.
Debris call center to close; Temporary Debris Storage site restoration continues
The debris call center has closed and infrastructure at the Temporary Debris Storage site has been removed – marking distinct chapters in the ongoing recovery efforts after the 2023 wildfires.
Final public meetings set next week for Ukumehame–Olowalu coastal corridor design proposals
Maui residents are invited to review and provide feedback on landscape design proposals for the Ukumehame and Olowalu coastal corridor, as three upcoming meetings look to conclude nearly a year of community input on the project.
Army Corps of Engineers expect to restore temporary disposal site of Lahaina fire debris in Olowalu by end of year
With the transportation of debris from the Lahaina fire to its permanent site in Central Maui nearing completion, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has begun preparations to restore the land used for the temporary debris location in Olowalu.
Traffic to be alternated at night on Honoapiʻilani Highway for striping work
The one-lane closure will be near mile marker 14 and is scheduled for two nights Tuesday, Sept. 23 and Wednesday, Sept. 24. Work will begin both nights at 8:30 p.m. and will last until 3:30 the next morning, with the last closure ending on Thursday, Sept. 25.
Open house on Olowalu Temporary Debris Storage restoration plan to be held Sept. 20
Information on restoration plans for the Olowalu site used for temporary storage of wildfire debris will be shared at an open house on Saturday, Sept. 20, 2025, from 10 a.m. to noon at the Lahaina Resource Center.
MISC: Ramie moth still threatens native plants, but natural predators offer hope
In 2018, an invertebrate biologist discovered an unfamiliar black caterpillar feeding on a māmaki plant in Olowalu Valley. Experts confirmed the caterpillar was ramie moth, a species native to Southeast Asia that aggressively feeds on plants in the nettle family, like māmaki. The biologist’s sighting marked the first confirmation of ramie moth in Hawaiʻi and the US.
Sixth West Maui TDS report shows compliance with environmental regulations
The West Maui Temporary Debris Storage (TDS) site environmental monitoring quarterly report for the sixth 90-day operational period shows the findings from sampling and monitoring are in compliance with county, state and federal environmental regulations.
Concrete barriers ‘floating’ on eroding Honoapiʻilani Highway spur emergency designation; state moves to prevent cutoff
The Hawaiʻi Department of Transportation has officially designated a section of Honoapiʻilani Highway near Mile Post 14 a traffic emergency zone, citing serious erosion beneath the road that threatens to cut off access to West Maui.
Erosion near Mile 14 of Honoapiʻilani in Olowalu prompts call for traffic emergency zone designation
An approximately 150-foot-long stretch of the makai lane on Honoapi‘ilani Highway is being undermined just about half mile south of Olowalu Village. Immediate actions include moving the existing barricades along the makai shoulder further mauka. Other work will include stabilizing the shoreline and pushing lanes more mauka.
As Maui County farmers and ranchers grow old, younger replacements are desperately being sought
With the average age of Hawaiʻi farm producers at 60.7 years in 2022, many groups in Maui County are offering programs to attract young people to the farming profession.
As Honoapiʻilani Highway realignment project moves forward, so does plan for coastal land, abandoned roadway
Three sites have been selected for up-close plans: Olowalu town, Mile Marker 14 and Ukumehame Beach Park.
Fully funded Olowalu fire station on hold over ‘iwi kupuna discovered 2 years ago in subdivision
The West Maui Improvement Foundation started advocating for a fire station in Olowalu after the 2018 Lahaina fire destroyed 21 houses in the area.
Community invited to ‘Olowalu: The Road to Resilience’ design events
The Nature Conservancy and UH Community Design Center are hosting the second in a series of events to gather community input on a resilient future for the Olowalu and Ukumehame coastal corridor once Honoapiʻilani Highway is realigned.
Transport of 400,000 tons of wildfire debris from Olowalu to Central Maui to begin in June
The transport of nonhazardous Lahaina wildfire debris from the Temporary Debris Storage Site in Olowalu to the Permanent Disposal Site at the Central Maui Landfill in Puʻunēnē will begin in early June.
Update/Canceled: High Bacteria Count Advisory at Olowalu Landing, Maui
Update: Wednesday, March 19, 2025 The Water Quality Advisory for Olowalu Shore Front, Maui has been canceled as of Wednesday, March 19, 2025. Water sample testing results show that the enterococci levels no longer exceed the threshold level. Previous post: The public is advised of a water quality exceedance of enterococci at Olowalu Landing, Maui. […]
