South Kīhei Road Reopening Soon – February 2025

South Kīhei Road Reopening Soon – February 2025

As reported in MauiNow’s recent news article, Maui County has been working to reopen South Kihei Road. Great news for South Kīhei residents and commuters! As everyone who has travelled through Kihei recently knows. The closure of South Kiehei Road and traffic diversion has caused slowdowns and backups along the Piilanai from Wailea to Kihei.

The stretch of South Kīhei Road between Wailana Place and Kūlanihākoʻi Street, which was heavily damaged during the severe winter storm at the end of January, is expected to reopen by the end of this month (Februart 2025). This comes after extensive repairs and cleanup efforts by the County of Maui’s Department of Public Works (DPW).

The January 30-31 storm, characterized by heavy rain, high winds, and significant flooding, caused considerable damage to this section of road. While the reopening is a welcome relief, the County is also looking ahead and taking proactive steps to mitigate future flooding and roadway impacts in South Maui.

Recognizing the limitations of making changes below the highway, the Kīhei Drainage Master Plan emphasizes assessing mitigation measures mauka (inland) of the highway. The DPW is pursuing several key initiatives to address the issue:

• Hydrologic Studies: Studies are underway in the Waiakoa area to better understand water flow and patterns, which will inform mitigation strategies. The potential extension of Kenolio Road toward North Kīhei Road is also being evaluated.
• Federal Assistance: The County has secured federal technical assistance to explore the feasibility of developing basins and other mitigation measures on Kaonoulu Ranch Lands above the highway. Kūlanihākoʻi studies are slated to begin later this year, pending continued federal support.
• Land Acquisition: The County is actively negotiating with landowners to acquire a drainage way makai(oceanward) of the highway along Kaonoulu Street to improve maintenance. Similar negotiations are also in progress in Waipuilani to secure portions of a drainage way and the last piece of undeveloped land makai of the highway.
• Bridge Assessment: An assessment is being conducted to determine the improvements needed for the South Kīhei Road bridge at Kūlanihākoʻi.
• Maui Meadows Study Expansion: The existing drainage study in Maui Meadows is being extended to the makaiportions of the highway to ensure that mauka mitigations don’t create downstream problems.
• Līloa Drive Extension: A significant step towards improved traffic flow and drainage will be the completion of the northern terminus of the North-South Collector Road (Līloa Drive Extension) from Kaonoulu Road to Waipuilani Street. Funded by a $25 million RAISE grant, construction is tentatively scheduled to begin in 2028.

These ongoing efforts demonstrate the County’s commitment to addressing the flooding challenges in South Kīhei and building a more resilient infrastructure for the future.

For source and general information about DPW, visit www.mauicounty.gov/publicworks.

Sources: read the MauiNow article – Pic Credit: Maui County