New segment of HI 200 on Hawaii's Big Island now open

[oscar]

A new segment of cross-island state route 200 on the Big Island opened to the public yesterday.

http://hawaiitribune-herald.com/sections/news/local-news/newest-stretch-saddle-road-opens-public.html

This segment moves the highway's west end a few miles south and closer to Kailua-Kona, from near HI 200 mile 42 (the old west end of the improved highway) to near HI 190 mile 14. The new segment bypasses the worst of the remaining segments of the old road, and mostly completes the transformation of HI 200 from one of Hawaii's most dangerous roads to a faster, wider, and more direct connection between the Big Island's two major population centers of Hilo and Kailua-Kona.

In addition, the former name of Saddle Road, recently renamed to Ala Mauna Saddle Road, has been replaced again with the new name Daniel K. Inouye Highway (for the late senator, who as Hawaii's senior porkmeister managed to get the Defense Department to pay much of the cost for upgrading Saddle Road).  I'm not sure how well the new new name will take, even in a state where people use mainly road names rather than route numbers.  However, it might reassure tourists who've heard how scary the old Saddle Road was, and also may sidestep the provisions of any rental car contracts that still specifically forbid travel on "Saddle Road".

Still left, and not imminent, are replacement of five miles of old roadway at HI 200's east end between mile 11 and HI 2000, and a possible westward extension to the coast at HI 19.

UPDATE:  I clinched the realigned highway two days ago (Oct. 12).  It looks like the Daniel K. Inouye Highway name (signed at both ends of the improved route, near mm11 and mm51) is going to be just a memorial name, with the highway still officially called "Saddle Road".  This photo, of a new sign on northbound HI 190 (similar sign southbound), so indicates:



Also, none of the few street blade signs along HI 200 referring to "Saddle Road" have been changed.

I took lots of other photos of all of HI 200, but I'll hold off on posting them until I'm back home.

[oscar]

Here are a few photos of the new segment.  The first, taken at the dedication ceremony, is from an HDOT press release.  The others were taken by Big Islander Aaron Stene, who also attended the ceremony.



The sign unveiled at the dedication, with Sen. Inouye's widow, Hawaii's governor, and the Hawaii County mayor.



An uphill part of the new segment, with a climbing lane.  Botts' Dots remain popular in Hawaii (it helps that the highway stays under 7000 feet, and it rarely snows in Hawaii under 10000 feet).  Fogs like this complicated travel on the old road and will on this one, unavoidable when cool air rolling downslope from the Big Island's volcanoes runs into warm, moist air rolling in from the coast.  But at least the reflectorization is far better on the new road, which also has shoulder rumble strips.



The bridge carrying the new segment over a military access road, connecting two sections of the Army's Pohakuloa Training Area



The east end of the bypassed old segment (recently resurfaced), at its junction with HI 200 (new segment to the right)

[hm insulators]

That looks like a nice stretch of road. If I ever get to the Big Island again, I'll have to try it.