Site Navigation California Baja California Hawaii Oregon Washington HawaiiHighways.com HawaiiRoads.com     Interstate H3 Routing H-3 is Hawaii's most beautiful and controversial freeway. Covering 16.1 miles from the Halawa Interchange north to Kaneohe MCAS, the freeway opened in 1997, 25 years after the initial construction on the North Shore and 37 years after the route was first proposed. History As part of statehood, a network of interstate highways was proposed for Hawaii. H-3 was designed to run from Pearl Harbor to Kaneohe MCAS, to serve troop and equipment movements across the island. Due to priorities being H-1 and H-2, H-3 started incurring delays. H-3 was the first project in Hawaii to require an environmental impact statement, and the selected route, through Moanalua Valley, ran into intense community opposition. North shore residents were opposed to H-3, as they didn't want their side of the island to become as urbanized as Honolulu. Construction began by 1972 between the Pali Golf Course and MCAS Kaneohe on the North Shore, and on the Halawa interchange. The remaining section between Halawa and the Pali golf course was tied up in litigation, with the planned route still traversing Moanalua Valley. The following is a timeline on litigation and delays in H-3 construction: 1977. After litigation and declaration of Moanalua Valley as a historic landmark, H-3 was rerouted through North Halawa Valley. 1980. EIS approved for the North Halawa Valley route. 1981. The court order stopping construction through Moanalua Valley was found to cover North Halawa Valley as well. Final approval on the route gained from Federal Highway Administration. 1982. Second supplemental EIS required as condtion of dissolving previous injunction stopping construction. 1983. Halekou interchange (Kamehameha Highway) construction started. 1984. On appeal, the injunction halting construction was reinstated. 1986. An exemption to federal law was signed allowing construction to resume. 1987. All injunctions were lifted and construction resumed on the Halekou interchange. Third supplemental EIS approved. 1997. Freeway completed and opened on December 12. As research and construction began on H-3 through Halawa Valley, several native Hawaiian burial sites were destroyed. Opposition through the late 1970s up to the present time to H-3 centers around these native Hawaiian spiritual sites. Ironically, it is believed that the Moanalua Valley route today would have had the least impact on native Hawaiian cultural sites. H-3 is named for former governor John A. Burns. The Tetsuo Harano tunnels are named for retired Hawaii DOT chief Tetsuo Harano, who worked on H-3 during his entire career with Hawaii DOT. More details on construction can be found at the following links: http://www.hawaii.gov/dot/publicaffairs/h-3/history.pdf - Hawaii DOT http://www.hawaiihighways.com/photos-Interstate-H3.htm - Oscar Voss http://starbulletin.com/97/12/03/news/story2.html - Honolulu Star-Bulletin All photos taken December 7-8, 2004 by Kevin Trinkle. Highway Guide Interstate H3 Eastbound On the long ramp from H-1 westbound to H-3 eastbound. This ramp also serves H-201. On the ramp under H-201. Under H-201 is the actual beginning of H-3. Distance sign to the two major control points on H-3, Kaneohe and Kaneohe MCAS. Just north of the Halawa interchange, with the official welcome sign for H-3. Climbing up North Halawa Valley. The speed limit through North Halawa Valley is 60 MPH, the highest speed limit on Oahu. Approaching the Tetsuo Harano tunnels. Entering the Tetsuo Harano (Trans-Koolau) tunnel eastbound. After the Harano tunnels, the road swings to the north on a descent down to Kaneohe. A Runaway Truck Ramp is provided for the grade. At Exit 9, the Likelike Highway (Hawaii 63). Exit 11, the Halekou interchange serving Kamehameha Highway. This interchange marks the limit of 1987 construction of H-3. Just after Kamehameha Highway merges on H-3 is this panorama. Mileage sign for Kailua, Kaneohe Bay and Kaneohe MCAS. Advance signage for HI 630 (actually HI 65), Mokapu Blvd, serving Kailua. At this point we are on 1972-vintage H-3, the oldest section of the freeway. Advance signage for Kaneohe Bay Drive, exit 15. This section of H-3 traverses hills around Kaneohe Bay. Hidden behind the bushes is this sign for Exit 15. Notice the roadcut in the background - there are two observation areas along this cut that are now closed. Exit 15. Beyond this point, H-3 crosses the bay and ends at the main entrance to MCAS Kaneohe. Interstate H3 Westbound Advance signage for Kamehameha Highway (Halekou interchange), near Kaneohe Bay Drive. Scenes like this are why H-3 has a reputation for being one of the most beautiful, if not the most beautiful, interstates in the country. At the west end of H-3, where it meets H-201 and H-1 in the Halawa interchange. Page Updated March 24, 2005.