A new Hanalei Bridge?

[hm insulators]

This might fit better in the "Pacific Southwest" thread, but I figured more people might see it here, so here goes: Last month, I met Truvelo in Globe, Arizona and was showing him some road maps and tourist guidebooks of Hawaii, especially the island of Kauai as I lived there between 1979 and 1986. I showed him pictures of the single-lane, 100-year old truss bridge across the Hanalei River on the north shore of Kauai, beyond which lie the peaceful little towns of Hanalei, Wainiha and a couple of others.

Well, a couple of weeks ago, I told my mother about my visit with Truvelo and our discussion of Hawaiian roads, and she passed on some interesting information: Every few years, the powers-that-be over in Hawaii, whether the state or Kauai County, start making noises that it would really nice to replace the quaint old Hanalei Bridge with a big new modern one that could accomodate great big tour buses and large trucks. (This has been a given as far back as I can remember: 1979.) Needless to say, residents of Hanalei and so forth don't want the big tour buses and they like their town just the way it is. (Those of you who have watched The Descendents with George Clooney and so forth have seen Hanalei. That's where the little bar where they meet and listen to the Hawaiian music band is located.) Hanalei doesn't look any different now than it did the first time I saw it in 1978, and back then, it didn't look any different than it might've in say, 1948.

I just thought you bridge fans might be interested. Personally, I don't think they'll replace the old bridge.

[agentsteel53]

that sounds like the road to Nome.  won't happen.

[Alps]

I didn't remember that bridge, but apparently I was there. www.alpsroads.net/roads/hi/hi_560

[oscar]

For some of my photos of the bridge (before its ca. 2003 restoration), see http://www.hawaiihighways.com/photos-Kuhio-Hwy.htm (about two-thirds of the way down the page).  I think I also have post-restoration photos buried deep in my photo archives, but nothing online.

Like the OP, I'm skeptical about the plans to upgrade the Hanalei Bridge.  In addition to being a sure-fire way to keep tour buses (but not vans) and heavy trucks out of Hanalei, there's the fact that the state recently spent a ton of money to refurbish the bridge.  Plus, the historic designation for all of highway 560 (not just the Hanalei Bridge) would complicate any upgrade of the highway for anything less than compelling safety reasons.  The historic designations for Maui's Hana Highway on Maui similarly restricts any upgrading.  In one extreme example, the 13.8 foot wide one-lane Paihi Bridge in east Maui (on county 31 south of Hana, but within the Hana Highway Historic District) had to be replaced after fatal damage from a 2006 earthquake, but the replacement was built to exactly the same width.

In addition, while the truss structure of the Hanalei Bridge, together with the tight turns on each end, help make it a particularly effective obstacle to large vehicles, there are several even narrower one-lane bridges on route 560 beyond the Hanalei Bridge.

[vdeane]

I didn't remember that bridge, but apparently I was there. www.alpsroads.net/roads/hi/hi_560

That is one cool road.