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[Sub-Urbanite]

Hey team - Has anyone done the Piilani Highway fully around Maui? I'm curious what condition the road is in – Streetview seems to indicate rough asphalt but nothing absurd, but maybe I'm missing something?

[oscar]

Hey team - Has anyone done the Piilani Highway fully around Maui? I'm curious what condition the road is in – Streetview seems to indicate rough asphalt but nothing absurd, but maybe I'm missing something?

There are two parts of the Piilani Highway, that don't connect. The state route 31 portion from Kihei to Wailea is a fast two-to-four lane paved highway, and takes you to the beaches of south Maui. The county route 31 portion is part of a complete loop through east Maui, starting at the end of state route 37 near Ulupalakua, and ending at Kalepa Gulch near Kipahulu where the county-maintained part of the Hana Highway begins.

The second part of the Piilani includes some unpaved segments near its east end, where you can get stuck if the road is wet. Other segments are paved, but cliff-hugging and with one-lane stretches including 5mph blind curves.

See my two-part photo collection for more details.

[Alps]

Wikipedia suggests 31 used to connect and was severed by developments. My recollection, and supported by aerial photos, is that the connecting segment was simply never built. Which is it?

[Life in Paradise]

In the late 80s I went through the loop that includes Lahaina, and up and down the side of the cliffs with my rental car.  I realized why the rental car place said that I was not covered to go through that area.  I definitely did not tell them!

[Jim]

The southeastern loop was fun when we did it in 2006.  I don't know what might have changed in the last 15 years.

https://www.teresco.org/pics/hawaii-20060820-0902/0826/piilani.html

[oscar]

Wikipedia suggests 31 used to connect and was severed by developments. My recollection, and supported by aerial photos, is that the connecting segment was simply never built. Which is it?

AFAIK, until 1984 there was a connection, over a bad unpaved private road. The landowner closed the road, not because of development (though the west end of the closed road ran between two golf courses, which on Maui is a good enough excuse to close even a public county road because golf is more important), but rather liability concerns over letting the public use such a substandard road.

[Sub-Urbanite]

Well, I drove it.

Thoughts:

1. It was tighter than a Mormon’s britches. This wouldn’t be a problem if other drivers practiced some common sense, but it seems a lot of folks leave common sense behind when they travel to Maui.

1b. What’s common sense?

- Driving with your window rolled down
- Honking at blind corners
- Looking ahead on the road and stopping at the nearest pullout if there’s a car approaching
- Knowing the width of your rental car and getting it as far off the road as possible
- Not doing the drive in a *car*. This road is definitely for trucks. I saw a guy taking a Camaro on it and was really, really sad for him.

2. Functionally, it wasn’t terrifying. The cliffside portions were crazy, and, yeah, could easily cause a problem if you’re on a one-lane road, along the ocean, and people aren’t behaving nicely. Thankfully I didn’t run into that.

2b. It was a slog though. Because it was narrow, because of the constantly watching for other drivers and thinking ahead, because of the rough asphalt (the gravel wasn’t bad) it was just … work. And to be honest, the Road to Hana is also work, it’s just work on better asphalt.

3. But holy crap it was gorgeous. To go so abruptly from the jungle of Kipahulu to the desert of the Leeward side was incredible. I am glad the road is not in perfect shape so as to keep it from being a drier version of HI 360.

So, for future travelers reading this thread, first, thanks for searching before posting. Second, you probably won’t trash your rental car doing this. Third, use common sense and assume others won’t.

[Rothman]

My britches are tight?

[Alps]

Well, I drove it.

Thoughts:

1. It was tighter than a Mormon’s britches. This wouldn’t be a problem if other drivers practiced some common sense, but it seems a lot of folks leave common sense behind when they travel to Maui.

1b. What’s common sense?

- Driving with your window rolled down
- Honking at blind corners
- Looking ahead on the road and stopping at the nearest pullout if there’s a car approaching
- Knowing the width of your rental car and getting it as far off the road as possible
- Not doing the drive in a *car*. This road is definitely for trucks. I saw a guy taking a Camaro on it and was really, really sad for him.

2. Functionally, it wasn’t terrifying. The cliffside portions were crazy, and, yeah, could easily cause a problem if you’re on a one-lane road, along the ocean, and people aren’t behaving nicely. Thankfully I didn’t run into that.

2b. It was a slog though. Because it was narrow, because of the constantly watching for other drivers and thinking ahead, because of the rough asphalt (the gravel wasn’t bad) it was just … work. And to be honest, the Road to Hana is also work, it’s just work on better asphalt.

3. But holy crap it was gorgeous. To go so abruptly from the jungle of Kipahulu to the desert of the Leeward side was incredible. I am glad the road is not in perfect shape so as to keep it from being a drier version of HI 360.

So, for future travelers reading this thread, first, thanks for searching before posting. Second, you probably won’t trash your rental car doing this. Third, use common sense and assume others won’t.

Sounds like you encountered Maui drivers!