O’ahu

[Max Rockatansky]

I've been on a trip to O'ahu the past four days.  That being the case I took a copious amount of road photos in between doing other stuff.  Below are the dedicated highway albums:

I-H1 from HNL to downtown Honolulu:

https://www.flickr.com/gp/151828809@N08/i5m492

HI 61 Pali Highway:

https://flickr.com/photos/151828809@N08/sets/72157720169350835

HI 63 Likelike Highway

https://www.flickr.com/gp/151828809@N08/x3X35Q

I-H201:

https://www.flickr.com/gp/151828809@N08/50044e

I-H3

https://www.flickr.com/gp/151828809@N08/18cD83

HI 72 Kalaniana'ole Highway

https://flickr.com/photos/151828809@N08/sets/72157720120430841

I'll probably post some individual road photos from Waikiki, Pearl Harbor and other places that caught my eye when I get a chance.  I'll be using this as a catch all thread for upcoming Gribblenation blogs.

[Alps]

A little late for me now, but is there button copy still up? If so I'll dig through.

[Max Rockatansky]

A little late for me now, but is there button copy still up? If so I'll dig through.

Haven't seen anything on the highways I've driven.

[Max Rockatansky]

Some more photo albums from O'ahu.

HI 83 from HI 61 to Kualoa Ranch:

https://flic.kr/s/aHsmX5YZy5

Old HI 83 Kaneohe Bay:

https://flic.kr/s/aHsmX6Tz6z

I also put together a dedicated shield gallery:

https://flic.kr/s/aHsmX6U18i

[JayhawkCO]

Nice pics sir.  I've only passed through Hawai'i on my way to other places, so I need to actually get there for some road geekery.

Chris

[RZF]

When I went to Oahu in 2019, I found it very interesting that all the road signs on the interstates and state routes were signed in Clearview.

[Max Rockatansky]

First up in the blog series; HI 61 and the Pali Highway:

https://www.gribblenation.org/2021/11/hawaii-route-61-pali-highway.html

[triplemultiplex]

Ah!  I'm having rage flashbacks for wet pavement on the Pali.  Not only does it constantly rain, but the goddamn groundwater seeps across the highway at a few places further aggravating attempts to get good pavement data on the Honolulu side of the tunnel.
In all the years I've been involved in Hawaii HPMS pavement collection, I don't think we've ever gotten the Pali Highway in one pass.

Anyway, great post.  Always cool to get a bit of the history of interesting roads like this one.
I'm always impressed by how sharp that Koolau Ridge is.  Stark reminder of how powerful the forces of erosion are in a place that gets that much rain.  And, of course, the fascinating geology of hot spot island vulcanism.  Seems like getting through without a tunnel would be an impressive feat.

[MarkF]

I was there back in September.  I notice I-H201 going eastbound still has some references to its old numbering, HI 78.  On eastbound I-H1 past the exit to I-H201 (near Aloha Stadium), it looks like someone hand painted the HI 92 shield on this sign sometime since Google maps last documented it in 2019:
https://goo.gl/maps/2ZPf5sdzUc5SyfJDA
Unfortunately I wasn't able to get a photo of it, did you happen go by there?

Here's a video from that trip of the Pali Hwy HI 61 going south from the windward side to Honolulu.  They put speed humps in a couple of spots along the route.
https://youtu.be/SKpCjbXnSC8

[Max Rockatansky]

Unfortunately I was on a tour bus when I did H-201 eastbound but I don't recall any HI 78 references.  I did find a n HI 78 reference at NS Pearl Harbor:

https://flic.kr/p/2mHDKdg

[Kniwt]

Here's a video from that trip of the Pali Hwy HI 61 going south from the windward side to Honolulu.  They put speed humps in a couple of spots along the route.

Is that 45mph speed limit seriously enforced? As justified as it may be, if this were CA 17 south of Los Gatos (which, except for the tunnels, this reminded me of), the average speed on a road like that would likely be 65-70mph.

[Max Rockatansky]

Here's a video from that trip of the Pali Hwy HI 61 going south from the windward side to Honolulu.  They put speed humps in a couple of spots along the route.

Is that 45mph speed limit seriously enforced? As justified as it may be, if this were CA 17 south of Los Gatos (which, except for the tunnels, this reminded me of), the average speed on a road like that would likely be 65-70mph.

I know this wasn't directed at me but I saw very little evidence outside of Waikiki of speed enforcement on O'ahu.  I was generally going 10 MPH over the speed limit on the Pali Highway and I was being passed frequently.

[Max Rockatansky]

Stumbled upon this while researching Interstate H-1.  Definitely worth a read:

https://www.interstate-guide.com/wp-content/uploads/routes/001/i-h003-history.pdf

[Max Rockatansky]

Next up in the blogs is Interstate H-1:

https://www.gribblenation.org/2021/11/interstate-h-1.html

[Max Rockatansky]

Next up; HI 63 and the Likelike Highway:

https://www.gribblenation.org/2021/11/hawaii-route-63-likelike-highway.html

[Max Rockatansky]

Next up; Interstate H-201:

https://www.gribblenation.org/2021/11/interstate-h-201-moanalua-freeway.html

[Max Rockatansky]

Next up Kalakaua Avenue:

https://www.gribblenation.org/2021/12/kalakaua-avenue-honolulu.html

[Max Rockatansky]

75 minute Roadcast between me and Dan Murphy of RoadwayWiz regarding roads on O'ahu:

https://anchor.fm/gribblenation/episodes/Just-Passing-Through-010---A-Discussion-on-the-Interstates-and-other-Highways-of-Oahu--Hawaii-with-Gribblenations-Challenger-Tom-e1bjtmh

[Max Rockatansky]

Admiral Clarey Bridge:

https://www.gribblenation.org/2021/12/admiral-clarey-bridge-naval-station.html

[Max Rockatansky]

Interstate H-3:

https://www.gribblenation.org/2021/12/interstate-h-3.html

Plus notable locales in downtown Honolulu I couldn't find a way to incorporate into a highway blog:

https://www.gribblenation.org/2021/12/notable-locales-in-downtown-honolulu.html

[jflick99]

Haven't been on the forum in a while, so I'm just now getting to this. I can elaborate on some of these.

I notice I-H201 going eastbound still has some references to its old numbering, HI 78.

All references to the Moanalua Freeway on H-1 approaching the Halawa interchange (near Aloha Stadium) use HI-78, with the one exception being an advance guide sign at the exit for HI-99 WB. The signs for Aiea even have HI-78 West despite the fact that the freeway ends at that interchange. All of the BGSs at the HI-99/Salt Lake Blvd intersection have been updated since GSV was last there. HI-78 East was replaced with I-H201 shields, but a couple of the signs still show the Aiea access as HI-78 West. The on-ramp from Middle St to H-201 WB is still signed as HI-78 as well.

A little late for me now, but is there button copy still up? If so I'll dig through.

I've seen one button copy sign on the Aiea Access Rd heading toward Pearl Harbor.

Some additional comments about some things brought up in the podcast:

• The rail system is an absolute mess. The entire system (Kapolei to Ala Moana Center) was projected for a completion date of 2020 when ground was broken in 2012. Countless setbacks along the way, such as cost overruns, lawsuits, and budget deficits due to Covid, had set a new goal of having only the Kapolei to Aloha Stadium section ready by the end of 2021. Once they started testing the trains earlier this year, it was discovered that the wheels were too narrow for the tracks, particularly at the frogs. There was also an issue of trains moving while the doors were open. (This is supposed to be a completely automated system.) At this point, testing is expected to extend well into 2022, with the whole system not being operational until at least 2031.
• The highest speed limit on the island is 60, which can be found on H-1 in West O'ahu and on the leeward side of the H-3 tunnels. During non-peak hours, the regular flow of traffic on the freeways (and the Pali and Likelike) tends to be about 10-15 mph over the speed limit.
• There are actually over a dozen submarines that call Pearl Harbor home. There is a WWII-era submarine and a submarine history museum on the same grounds as the rest of the Pearl Harbor National Memorial, both of which I highly recommend visiting if anyone has the chance.
• There is still a place where you can see three different Hawaii Interstate shields: approaching the Halawa interchange on H-201 West
• As far as I know, there are still a few hypenated Hawaii Interstate shields:
  
  
  • H-1 approaching H-201 from the west
  • H-2 shield right after Exit 10 on H-1 WB
  • H-3 on the John A. Burns Freeway sign in both directions (which are shown in the pics on your blog post)
  • H-2 on the Veterans' Memorial Freeway sign in both directions.
• I know where that unspecified shield that says "HAWAII" is at. Don't worry, I won't touch it!

I'll add more later if I think of anything else.

[Max Rockatansky]

H-2 to round out the Interstates:

https://www.gribblenation.org/2021/12/interstate-h-2.html

[Max Rockatansky]

Hawaii Route 72:

https://www.gribblenation.org/2021/12/hawaii-route-72-kalanianaole-highway.html

[froggie]

Admiral Clarey Bridge:

https://www.gribblenation.org/2021/12/admiral-clarey-bridge-naval-station.html

I have photos from driving on the bridge itself, since I was active duty at the time and actually stayed on Ford Island for a couple days.

[Max Rockatansky]

Admiral Clarey Bridge:

https://www.gribblenation.org/2021/12/admiral-clarey-bridge-naval-station.html

I have photos from driving on the bridge itself, since I was active duty at the time and actually stayed on Ford Island for a couple days.

DOD worker myself.  If I was alone on the trip I totally would have driven over the bridge and taken H-3 all the way into MCBH.  That's how I have photos of Old US 1 on Boca Chica Key on Midway Avenue.