HONOLULU (KHON2) — The Hawaiʻi Department of Transportation announced the completion of the improvements on Paʻakea Road, which opens up a new route for the west side of Oʻahu between Nānākuli and Māʻiliʻili Beach.
The newly-opened road was made open for public use at 10 a.m. on Oct. 1, and is located between Lualualei Naval Road and Hakimo Road.
HDOT worked with nearby land owners to conduct the necessary work to bring the road to the appropriate standards, such as road resurfacing, reconstruction and upgraded safety devices.
“Opening the Paʻakea Road extension took a lot of coordination and communication between the state, City and County of Honolulu, private landowners and the Department of the Navy,” Gov. Josh Green said. “We’re thankful to all the parties involved for their cooperation and support to make this alternative to Farrington Highway in Nānākuli safe and accessible for people to use on a regular basis.”
For state Rep. Darius Kila, who represents the area, this is a major landmark for his westside constituents.
“For years, westside residents have endured heavy traffic on our roads, and the reality of having only one route in and out of our communities, which has created serious risks during times of emergency,” Kila said. “When I first came into office, I recognized this was one of the community’s top priorities, and I’m grateful to finally see the Paʻakea Road extension come to fruition, thanks to the collaboration between government, the private sector and our community. This project brings long-overdue relief for our residents.”
A temporary lane closure to install permanent bridge railings will occur when the appropriate materials arrive, and the closure will be listed on HDOT’s website.
The total cost of improvements was approximately $2 million.