NOTICE:
The Lahaina Bypass website has moved to a new address at:
http://hawaii.gov/dot/lahainabypass

Please click on the above link and update your bookmarks.
All future project updates will be made at the new website.
Mahalo!

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HONOAPIILANI HIGHWAY REALIGNMENT, PHASE-1A

FUTURE KEAWE STREET EXTENSION
TO LAHAINALUNA ROAD
Federal Aid Project No. NH-030-1(35)

News Update
November 28, 2008

DECEMBER START FOR LAHAINA BYPASS CONSTRUCTION

KAHULUI — The state Department of Transportation (DOT) is pleased to announce that construction of the Lahaina Bypass Project, Phase 1A, is expected to begin in mid-December.  Consistent with the Governor’s recently announced economic stimulus initiative, DOT is working closely with the design-build contractor and other government agencies to assist the West Maui economy by starting construction as soon as reasonably possible. 

“We’d like to thank the West Maui community for their incredible patience over the years.  The bypass has been a long time coming, and we’re excited that construction will commence shortly,” said Brennon Morioka, director of the DOT.  “We are committed to bolstering the state economy by responsibly advancing a number of our projects.  Starting this project in December will create employment for 12 to 15 people right before the holidays and allow for more people to be employed throughout next year,” he added.

The start of construction for Phase 1A, previously planned for August of 2007, was delayed due to an archaeological site inadvertently discovered within the northern portion of the proposed alignment which spans from Kahoma Stream to the Keawe Street Extension.  After working closely with various stakeholders, including the native Hawaiian community, government agencies, affected landowners and the general public, DOT identified a feasible and prudent realignment of the northern section that avoids the archaeological sites.  The alignment south of Kahoma Stream was not affected by the archaeological site or the realignment.

DOT will publish a Draft Environmental Assessment (DEA) addressing the northern portion of the corridor that was modified to avoid the archaeological site.  Notice of the DEA will appear in the December 8, 2008 edition of the Office of Environmental Quality Control’s The Environmental Notice. 

Construction activities commencing in December will be limited to the southern portion of the alignment and will not be impacted by the realignment of the northern portion.  The initial work will be limited in scope and restricted to specific areas within existing highway rights-of-way.  It will involve the preparation of detour areas, and will have no impact on the use of Ikena Avenue at this time.  Closure of Ikena Avenue is anticipated by mid- to late- January 2009, and construction on the northern side of Kahoma Stream is anticipated in Fall 2009.

A public information meeting will be held on December 10, 2008 from 5:30 pm to 8:00 pm at the Lahaina Civic Center to present a summary of findings on the DEA for the northern portion of the alignment and discuss details regarding the start of construction on the southern portion.

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Traffic Situation
Traffic queuing during the morning and afternoon rush-hours is creating backlogs on existing roadways in the Lahaina area.  Moreover, this condition is expected to worsen over time.  To alleviate congestion, a four-lane bypass highway from Launiupoko to Honokowai is being proposed.


Proposed Solution
Implementation of this bypass highway will be done in phases.  Phase-1A of the bypass is a two-lane segment from Lahainaluna Road to the future Keawe Street Extension (extension to be constructed by the County of Maui).  The scope of Phase-1A includes the construction of a two-lane highway along the original Ikena Avenue alignment.  This work will include the installation of a two-lane bridge over Kahoma Stream, a grade separation structure to allow the new bypass highway to go under Lahainaluna Road, retaining walls, sound walls, landscaping, lighting, and other miscellaneous improvements.  Phase-1A will serve to alleviate immediate traffic congestion and improve circulation in the Lahaina and Lahainaluna areas.

In future phases, the new two-lane roadway will be lengthened based on traffic demands and as future funding becomes available.  When most of the two-lane roadway is built, the final two-lanes will be added in the last phase(s) to complete the four-lane bypass.


Design-Build Project
Phase-1A is a Design-Build project.  The Design-Build is a method of project delivery in which the owner furnishes the project definition and contracts it out to one entity involving design consultants and construction contractors (single point of responsibility).  This Design-Build team will work together to prepare the contract documents and provide the finished product.

The State Department of Transportation has awarded the project to the contractor, Hawaiian Dredging Construction Company, and are teamed with the consultant firm, Wilson Okamoto Corporation.