MOD NOTE: Taking a cue from the Northwest and Mountain West boards, I've created and stickied this thread as a place for random observations or questions relating to Hawaii–the Pacific Southwest board is dominated by California and Nevada topics, so hopefully this will prompt more discussion about Hawaii. As with the other state threads, if a topic in this thread starts delving into detailed/extended conversation, I'll likely split that discussion off to a more dedicated thread. –Roadfro
Quote from: bing101 on March 04, 2019, 11:01:01 PM
https://www.youtube.com/?reload=7&rdm=3w92d0251#/watch?v=CDLkPJPdIG0
Here is an interesting drive from AM Drive Hike in Hawaii. It is Pilani Highway
Bad link.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CDLkPJPdIG0
Here is a better link.
Anyone know why Interstates in Hawaii have I-H[number], instead of just I-[number] or Interstate [number]
Interstates in Hawaii are part of a separate Interstate network from the mainland's. The I- prefix is reserved for the lower 48. Hawaii's network uses H-. The unsigned Interstate networks of Alaska and Puerto Rico are respectively A-__ and PRI-__.
Hawaii's Interstates are sometimes referred to as "Interstate H-__" (not "I-H-__"), but more often just by route number with "H" included as part of the route number. Sometimes route markers have hyphens after the H, but usually not.
Quote from: oscar on April 07, 2019, 09:11:19 PM
Interstates in Hawaii are part of a separate Interstate network from the mainland's. The I- prefix is reserved for the lower 48. Hawaii's network uses H-. The unsigned Interstate networks of Alaska and Puerto Rico are respectively A-__ and PRI-__.
Hawaii's Interstates are sometimes referred to as "Interstate H-__" (not "I-H-__"), but more often just by route number with "H" included as part of the route number. Sometimes route markers have hyphens after the H, but usually not.
Thanks! :)
I was in Oahu a week ago, some quick observations:
-HI 61 Pali Hwy crossing between Honolulu and Kaneohe had storm damage back in February, and is only open 5am-9am in the Kaneohe to Honolulu direction and in the opposite direction 3pm-7pm. It is expected to fully reopen in August.
-Saw quite a few abandoned and stripped cars on the side of some roads, similar to what I saw in Maui a decade ago when their junkyards closed, but not as bad.
-H1 west of HI76 is at 60mph, as is H3 on the Honolulu side of the tunnels.
-This stretch of Kalakaua Ave coming into Waikiki is interesting, one lane goes on the "wrong" side of the divider:
https://www.google.com/maps/@21.288565,-157.8346471,3a,75y,132.39h,95.51t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1scXsa567CCuGRTu3gHYDQ7A!2e0!7i13312!8i6656
https://www.staradvertiser.com/2020/01/14/breaking-news/dot-crews-receive-tons-of-asphalt-patching-to-plug-weather-related-potholes/ (https://www.staradvertiser.com/2020/01/14/breaking-news/dot-crews-receive-tons-of-asphalt-patching-to-plug-weather-related-potholes/)
Hawaii to Patch Potholes on Oahu these affected roads are
Kamehameha Highway at Ke Iki Road in Haleiwa; Kamehameha Highway near Foodland in Pupukea; and Likelike Highway in the Kalihi-bound direction before Valley View Drive,
I've become very familiar with H-1, H-2, H-3, H-201 over the past week and I'm noticing a lot of new guide signs in Series D, especially near the western end of H-1. They look good!
https://www.khon2.com/top-stories/emergency-work-along-likelike-highway-in-kalihi-to-impact-honolulu-bound-traffic-march-6/ (https://www.khon2.com/top-stories/emergency-work-along-likelike-highway-in-kalihi-to-impact-honolulu-bound-traffic-march-6/)
Likelike Hwy in Oahu will get repairs on March 6th
A high school friend of mine just posted this short Facebook Live video of his drive through what I assume is Honolulu. Thoughts / observations?
https://www.facebook.com/tnsolomon/videos/10216590726469631/?notif_id=1593290579806042¬if_t=live_video
Quote from: Road Hog on June 28, 2020, 11:20:53 PM
A high school friend of mine just posted this short Facebook Live video of his drive through what I assume is Honolulu. Thoughts / observations?
https://www.facebook.com/tnsolomon/videos/10216590726469631/?notif_id=1593290579806042¬if_t=live_video
Not from me, since I don't do Facebook and therefore can't view the video.
Road to Hana is open again in Maui.
https://www.khon2.com/wake-up-2day/social-scene-best-and-worst-roads/ (https://www.khon2.com/wake-up-2day/social-scene-best-and-worst-roads/)
Here is a Study on Hawaii's roads and the study says Hawaii has the 4th worst roads in the USA.
Hawaii plans to close a section of I-H3 this week to create a large surge testing site for COVID.
Full news article: https://www.khon2.com/coronavirus/state-will-shut-down-h-3-for-two-days-freeway-will-serve-as-covid-testing-site/
https://www.postguam.com/business/local/business-partners-to-distribute-roadway-sensors-on-guam/article_a0063410-e6a6-11ea-a344-83fd0fd80709.html (https://www.postguam.com/business/local/business-partners-to-distribute-roadway-sensors-on-guam/article_a0063410-e6a6-11ea-a344-83fd0fd80709.html)
Iteris Inc. has a deal with Phoenix Pacific inc to put Roadway sensors in Guam and Hawaii.
https://www.kitv.com/story/42917312/likelike-highway-resurfacing-project-continues-through-the-november
Like Like Highway continues the repavement process continues into November 2020.
https://www.kitv.com/story/42923652/full-closure-of-two-westbound-offramps-on-the-h1-freeway-on-tuesday
Repairs will take place on the I-H1 ramps in Hawaii.
About a week or so ago, I saw a car with a Hawaii plate here in KC. How is it possible to find such cars on the mainland?
Quote from: KCRoadFan on November 26, 2020, 10:40:10 AM
About a week or so ago, I saw a car with a Hawaii plate here in KC. How is it possible to find such cars on the mainland?
Might be military. One perk of service is the Feds cover relocation expenses for servicemembers ordered to move to a new duty station. That includes barging their personal vehicles between Hawaii and the mainland, something too expensive for most of the rest of us (standard advice for people moving to Hawaii is to sell their cars on the mainland, and buy replacements once in Hawaii). When that happens, many if not all states will let the servicemembers keep their Hawaii plates, at least as long as they remain on active duty.
Quote from: oscar on November 26, 2020, 11:05:48 AM
Quote from: KCRoadFan on November 26, 2020, 10:40:10 AM
About a week or so ago, I saw a car with a Hawaii plate here in KC. How is it possible to find such cars on the mainland?
Might be military. One perk of service is the Feds cover relocation expenses for servicemembers ordered to move to a new duty station. That includes barging their personal vehicles between Hawaii and the mainland, something too expensive for most of the rest of us (standard advice for people moving to Hawaii is to sell their cars on the mainland, and buy replacements once in Hawaii). When that happens, many if not all states will let the servicemembers keep their Hawaii plates, at least as long as they remain on active duty.
We have Fort Leavenworth right near here, and Whiteman AFB and Fort Riley aren't too far off - so yeah, that's probably the reason.
Quote from: oscar on November 26, 2020, 11:05:48 AM
Quote from: KCRoadFan on November 26, 2020, 10:40:10 AM
About a week or so ago, I saw a car with a Hawaii plate here in KC. How is it possible to find such cars on the mainland?
Might be military. One perk of service is the Feds cover relocation expenses for servicemembers ordered to move to a new duty station. That includes barging their personal vehicles between Hawaii and the mainland, something too expensive for most of the rest of us (standard advice for people moving to Hawaii is to sell their cars on the mainland, and buy replacements once in Hawaii). When that happens, many if not all states will let the servicemembers keep their Hawaii plates, at least as long as they remain on active duty.
I'm guessing this can happen in reverse as well. Last year I saw a truck with Florida plates on I-H201. I've also seen one car with a Hawaii plate in Indiana as well as one in Lexington, Kentucky.
Quote from: oscar on November 26, 2020, 11:05:48 AM
Quote from: KCRoadFan on November 26, 2020, 10:40:10 AM
About a week or so ago, I saw a car with a Hawaii plate here in KC. How is it possible to find such cars on the mainland?
Might be military. One perk of service is the Feds cover relocation expenses for servicemembers ordered to move to a new duty station. That includes barging their personal vehicles between Hawaii and the mainland, something too expensive for most of the rest of us (standard advice for people moving to Hawaii is to sell their cars on the mainland, and buy replacements once in Hawaii). When that happens, many if not all states will let the servicemembers keep their Hawaii plates, at least as long as they remain on active duty.
Maybe less likely, but could also be a college student. I've seen some Hawaii plates here in Reno over the years, and knew a couple students at UNR that did bring a car over for their years in undergrad here.
Quote from: KCRoadFan on November 26, 2020, 10:40:10 AM
About a week or so ago, I saw a car with a Hawaii plate here in KC. How is it possible to find such cars on the mainland?
I see almost weekly in LA. In Oklahoma my neighbor is from Hawaii and was rocking Hawaii plates for awhile.
What I'm curious about is I've seen cars that fit the rental car look to a tee and have Hawaii plates which I wonder about.
Quote from: Plutonic Panda on November 26, 2020, 02:08:39 PM
Quote from: KCRoadFan on November 26, 2020, 10:40:10 AM
About a week or so ago, I saw a car with a Hawaii plate here in KC. How is it possible to find such cars on the mainland?
I see almost weekly in LA. In Oklahoma my neighbor is from Hawaii and was rocking Hawaii plates for awhile.
What I'm curious about is I've seen cars that fit the rental car look to a tee and have Hawaii plates which I wonder about.
If those are in fact rental cars, perhaps it is that there is a larger market for people to rent cars in Hawaii (given its a vacation destination) than there is a market for selling rental cars on the used car market. If the price differential is great enough, that may cover the costs of shipping the car. The rental car co. would ship the car to the mainland for resale and then put it up for auction. While it is owned by the rental car co., there is no need to change the plates.
Quote from: mrsman on November 30, 2020, 11:28:07 AM
Quote from: Plutonic Panda on November 26, 2020, 02:08:39 PM
Quote from: KCRoadFan on November 26, 2020, 10:40:10 AM
About a week or so ago, I saw a car with a Hawaii plate here in KC. How is it possible to find such cars on the mainland?
I see almost weekly in LA. In Oklahoma my neighbor is from Hawaii and was rocking Hawaii plates for awhile.
What I'm curious about is I've seen cars that fit the rental car look to a tee and have Hawaii plates which I wonder about.
If those are in fact rental cars, perhaps it is that there is a larger market for people to rent cars in Hawaii (given its a vacation destination) than there is a market for selling rental cars on the used car market. If the price differential is great enough, that may cover the costs of shipping the car. The rental car co. would ship the car to the mainland for resale and then put it up for auction. While it is owned by the rental car co., there is no need to change the plates.
Bought a used car recently from a dealer. Ran the Carfax and found oout the previous owner was a rental company in Hawaii. You must be right about the markup.
Quote from: oscar on November 26, 2020, 11:05:48 AM
Quote from: KCRoadFan on November 26, 2020, 10:40:10 AM
About a week or so ago, I saw a car with a Hawaii plate here in KC. How is it possible to find such cars on the mainland?
Might be military. One perk of service is the Feds cover relocation expenses for servicemembers ordered to move to a new duty station. That includes barging their personal vehicles between Hawaii and the mainland, something too expensive for most of the rest of us (standard advice for people moving to Hawaii is to sell their cars on the mainland, and buy replacements once in Hawaii). When that happens, many if not all states will let the servicemembers keep their Hawaii plates, at least as long as they remain on active duty.
Today on HI 19 I saw the reverse; I was behind a car with California plates. I didn't see any DOD identification. It had a large sticker which appeared to be a temporary permit from the Hawaii DMV. It was a Tesla; I was thinking, probably somebody with enough money that they shipped one of their own cars over ahead of them for the winter stay at their villa, rather than settling for a rental from Dollar like the rest of us.
Quote from: gonealookin on December 13, 2020, 12:11:32 AM
Quote from: oscar on November 26, 2020, 11:05:48 AM
Quote from: KCRoadFan on November 26, 2020, 10:40:10 AM
About a week or so ago, I saw a car with a Hawaii plate here in KC. How is it possible to find such cars on the mainland?
Might be military. One perk of service is the Feds cover relocation expenses for servicemembers ordered to move to a new duty station. That includes barging their personal vehicles between Hawaii and the mainland, something too expensive for most of the rest of us (standard advice for people moving to Hawaii is to sell their cars on the mainland, and buy replacements once in Hawaii). When that happens, many if not all states will let the servicemembers keep their Hawaii plates, at least as long as they remain on active duty.
Today on HI 19 I saw the reverse; I was behind a car with California plates. I didn't see any DOD identification. It had a large sticker which appeared to be a temporary permit from the Hawaii DMV. It was a Tesla; I was thinking, probably somebody with enough money that they shipped one of their own cars over ahead of them for the winter stay at their villa, rather than settling for a rental from Dollar like the rest of us.
Strictly speaking for the DON I'm not aware of any CONUS Navy Base that still requires base registration stickers. Most bases got rid of those around 2013-2014.
In the 2+ months I was bouncing around the islands for work, I could count on one hand the number of non-Hawaii license plates I saw in Hawaii.
(All CA or NV, if memory serves.)
That doesn't include the vehicle I was driving, which had Wisconsin tags.
Quote from: oscar on November 26, 2020, 11:05:48 AM
Quote from: KCRoadFan on November 26, 2020, 10:40:10 AM
About a week or so ago, I saw a car with a Hawaii plate here in KC. How is it possible to find such cars on the mainland?
Might be military. One perk of service is the Feds cover relocation expenses for servicemembers ordered to move to a new duty station. That includes barging their personal vehicles between Hawaii and the mainland, something too expensive for most of the rest of us (standard advice for people moving to Hawaii is to sell their cars on the mainland, and buy replacements once in Hawaii). When that happens, many if not all states will let the servicemembers keep their Hawaii plates, at least as long as they remain on active duty.
I remember here in California, Hawaii License plates would have been common for out of state license plates along with Nevada, Washington, Oregon, Arizona and Texas at one point.
The logical westward extension of HI 200, the Daniel K. Inouye Highway or "Saddle Road" across the Big Island, from its current western end up on the hill at HI 190 down to the Queen Kaahumanu Highway (HI 19) near the coast, is a long-term project but at least it's still in an active planning stage. Here's this week's update in the local paper (https://www.westhawaiitoday.com/2021/03/03/hawaii-news/daniel-k-inouye-highway-extension-project-progressing-despite-lack-of-funding/).
QuoteThe $90 million project's final environmental impact statement (EIS) is progressing toward completion, nearly four years after the draft version was released in 2017 for public review, according to the state Department of Transportation. The state expects to begin moving into the rights of way acquisition phase later this year, but beyond that, the timeline is foggy.
"We cannot provide a schedule for project construction as we have not identified a funding source for the project," said Shelly Kunishige, DOT spokeswoman.
The project will extend the cross-island route, known colloquially as Saddle Road, from its current terminus at Mamalahoa Highway near the South Kohala-North Kona boundary to Queen Kaahumanu Highway. The approximately 10.5-mile extension is expected to take about two years to construct once work is underway.
Quote from: gonealookin on March 04, 2021, 12:44:18 PM
The logical westward extension of HI 200, the Daniel K. Inouye Highway or "Saddle Road" across the Big Island, from its current western end up on the hill at HI 190 down to the Queen Kaahumanu Highway (HI 19) near the coast, is a long-term project but at least it's still in an active planning stage. Here's this week's update in the local paper (https://www.westhawaiitoday.com/2021/03/03/hawaii-news/daniel-k-inouye-highway-extension-project-progressing-despite-lack-of-funding/).
QuoteThe $90 million project's final environmental impact statement (EIS) is progressing toward completion, nearly four years after the draft version was released in 2017 for public review, according to the state Department of Transportation. The state expects to begin moving into the rights of way acquisition phase later this year, but beyond that, the timeline is foggy.
"We cannot provide a schedule for project construction as we have not identified a funding source for the project," said Shelly Kunishige, DOT spokeswoman.
The project will extend the cross-island route, known colloquially as Saddle Road, from its current terminus at Mamalahoa Highway near the South Kohala-North Kona boundary to Queen Kaahumanu Highway. The approximately 10.5-mile extension is expected to take about two years to construct once work is underway.
Google shows one road as Saddle/200 and the other as Inouye. Obviously Inouye is (and is signed as) 200. But what is that western part of Saddle Rd. internally? Is it 2000 or decommissioned?
Quote from: Alps on March 04, 2021, 08:22:15 PM
Google shows one road as Saddle/200 and the other as Inouye. Obviously Inouye is (and is signed as) 200. But what is that western part of Saddle Rd. internally? Is it 2000 or decommissioned?
There's a 2000 in Hilo, which AFAIK is the only 2000.
The western part of old Saddle Road through Waiki'i, after the new 200 alignment was built to the south, was turned over to Hawaii County. Fairly recent GMSV shows no route number signage on the old road, and all HI 200 signage on HI 190 points to the new road. IIRC the original plan was to make the old road county 201, but I don't know if the county made that an internal designation.
Quote from: oscar on March 04, 2021, 09:06:57 PM
Quote from: Alps on March 04, 2021, 08:22:15 PM
Google shows one road as Saddle/200 and the other as Inouye. Obviously Inouye is (and is signed as) 200. But what is that western part of Saddle Rd. internally? Is it 2000 or decommissioned?
IIRC the original plan was to make the old road county 201, but I don't know if the county made that an internal designation.
I have a resource from work that calls the old saddle road "SR 40810".
That resource is a shapefile of selected Hawaii County Roads for a specific project and that is the only road in that shapefile with a "SR" designation. Everything else is "CR", so whatever that is worth. The number is consistent with other routes in the island's north so it seems reliable.
Good to see there's momentum to finish the highway to the west coast. SR 190 sucks. They should be at a place now where it is 'shovel ready' in the event the latest round of infrastructure investment by the feds isn't just talk this time.
Here is a cool ride in Honolulu.
Just finished up this project on the history of H-2: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interstate_H-2
Looking at doing the rest of Oahu's Interstates, but the available material is lacking (in H-201's case) or overwhelming (especially for H-3). If anyone knows where to find a proper milepost log and/or historic maps, let me know!
Just out of curiosity are there any major road projects going on in Hawaii? Seems like Hawaii without a doubt is the most anti-freeway state. It's no coincidence they have some of the worst traffic.
Quote from: Bruce on November 19, 2021, 06:38:32 PM
Just finished up this project on the history of H-2: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interstate_H-2
Looking at doing the rest of Oahu's Interstates, but the available material is lacking (in H-201's case) or overwhelming (especially for H-3). If anyone knows where to find a proper milepost log and/or historic maps, let me know!
All the H-201 stuff you need is the AASHTO database. It even references things like H-1A and H-101. I didn't find much in there for H-1, H-2 or H-3.
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on November 19, 2021, 06:50:59 PM
Quote from: Bruce on November 19, 2021, 06:38:32 PM
Just finished up this project on the history of H-2: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interstate_H-2
Looking at doing the rest of Oahu's Interstates, but the available material is lacking (in H-201's case) or overwhelming (especially for H-3). If anyone knows where to find a proper milepost log and/or historic maps, let me know!
All the H-201 stuff you need is the AASHTO database. It even references things like H-1A and H-101. I didn't find much in there for H-1, H-2 or H-3.
Unfortunately it wouldn't have much on the pre-interstate history of the highway, which was built with a 50% federal match in the 1960s/1970s. I'm slowly piecing together a timeline from newspaper sources, but they aren't complete.
Quote from: Bruce on November 21, 2021, 02:16:33 AM
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on November 19, 2021, 06:50:59 PM
Quote from: Bruce on November 19, 2021, 06:38:32 PM
Just finished up this project on the history of H-2: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interstate_H-2
Looking at doing the rest of Oahu's Interstates, but the available material is lacking (in H-201's case) or overwhelming (especially for H-3). If anyone knows where to find a proper milepost log and/or historic maps, let me know!
All the H-201 stuff you need is the AASHTO database. It even references things like H-1A and H-101. I didn't find much in there for H-1, H-2 or H-3.
Unfortunately it wouldn't have much on the pre-interstate history of the highway, which was built with a 50% federal match in the 1960s/1970s. I'm slowly piecing together a timeline from newspaper sources, but they aren't complete.
While that is true it does have some:
- It was part of Federal Aid Primary 78.
- The ADT when HI 78 application to be added as an Interstate was filed (70,000-150,000 vehicles).
- The date HI 78 was available for traffic (1/23/1975).
- The date H-201 was approved by the AASHTO Executive Committee (12/8/1990).
For a Wikipedia highway stub that's generally far more information they typically get. They even have some of the maps which might fit what you are looking for.
For this upcoming weekend's Webinar presentation, we'll be taking a look at the freeway & highway system of the Hawaiian island of Oahu, including the city of Honolulu and its island suburbs. During the Winter of 2021-22, the team at Gribblenation.org constructed a complete blog series on Oahu's state highway system and documented the island's network of major roadways in a comprehensive manner. This Webinar is intended to serve as a "capstone" for the efforts of the Gribblenation staff in recent weeks/months as we recap everything the island has to offer from a roads perspective (and just a little bit more!).
Coverage will begin on Saturday (4/30) at 6 PM ET and will feature live contributions from members of this forum, including members of the Gribblenation.org team; we hope to see you there!
Quote from: Alps on March 04, 2021, 08:22:15 PM
Quote from: gonealookin on March 04, 2021, 12:44:18 PM
The logical westward extension of HI 200, the Daniel K. Inouye Highway or "Saddle Road" across the Big Island, from its current western end up on the hill at HI 190 down to the Queen Kaahumanu Highway (HI 19) near the coast, is a long-term project but at least it's still in an active planning stage. Here's this week's update in the local paper (https://www.westhawaiitoday.com/2021/03/03/hawaii-news/daniel-k-inouye-highway-extension-project-progressing-despite-lack-of-funding/).
QuoteThe $90 million project's final environmental impact statement (EIS) is progressing toward completion, nearly four years after the draft version was released in 2017 for public review, according to the state Department of Transportation. The state expects to begin moving into the rights of way acquisition phase later this year, but beyond that, the timeline is foggy.
"We cannot provide a schedule for project construction as we have not identified a funding source for the project," said Shelly Kunishige, DOT spokeswoman.
The project will extend the cross-island route, known colloquially as Saddle Road, from its current terminus at Mamalahoa Highway near the South Kohala-North Kona boundary to Queen Kaahumanu Highway. The approximately 10.5-mile extension is expected to take about two years to construct once work is underway.
Google shows one road as Saddle/200 and the other as Inouye. Obviously Inouye is (and is signed as) 200. But what is that western part of Saddle Rd. internally? Is it 2000 or decommissioned?
Visually - decommissioned. 200 was rerouted onto the new road. 2000 turns right "off itself" onto Pauinako St to End at at Kaumana Dr (former 200) and 200 takes over. The whole routing of 2000 really is so stupid as they took it to a point where they intended to make it a 4-lane at Kohomana St in Hilo but then ended the split road there and turned 2000 onto the cross street with poor lane management and turned it onto Puainako St through residential and school zones with out any fanfare. I was dumbfounded by it when I visited last month that the route was not completed, but I guess it's so much of a usual HDOT action taken. All those container trucks from Kona seem forced onto old Saddle Road and Kaumana Drive to get back to the port to refill. (they end up taking many narrow highways (190, Waikola Road, Old Saddle, etc) and put many residential Hilo neighborhoods in danger (IMO) because 11 and 19 are not safe routes for semi trucks (for a lack of a better term given it's on islands and they only transport containers between Kona and Hilo.
Quote from: SSOWorld on May 07, 2022, 08:45:55 PM
2000 turns right "off itself" onto Pauinako St to End at at Kaumana Dr (former 200) and 200 takes over. The whole routing of 2000 really is so stupid as they took it to a point where they intended to make it a 4-lane at Kohomana St in Hilo but then ended the split road there and turned 2000 onto the cross street with poor lane management and turned it onto Puainako St through residential and school zones with out any fanfare. I was dumbfounded by it when I visited last month that the route was not completed, but I guess it's so much of a usual HDOT action taken. All those container trucks from Kona seem forced onto old Saddle Road and Kaumana Drive to get back to the port to refill. (they end up taking many narrow highways (190, Waikola Road, Old Saddle, etc) and put many residential Hilo neighborhoods in danger (IMO) because 11 and 19 are not safe routes for semi trucks (for a lack of a better term given it's on islands and they only transport containers between Kona and Hilo.
Definitely a messy situation. Hawaii DOT had plans to straighten HI 2000. But this fell by the wayside, after the Governor ordered the DOT to make only minor improvements to maintain the existing network, with a few exceptions for major projects such as extending HI 200 from HI 190 to HI 19.
The need for truckers to haul containers cross-island, from Hilo to Kailua-Kona via the FUBAR'd Hilo highway network, is in part that Kailua-Kona doesn't have a deep-draft harbor, just a small boat harbor. Kawaihae, north of Kailua-Kona via HI 19 and HI 270, has a deep-draft harbor, the only one on the Big Island other than Hilo's. I don't know why the container ship operators don't make greater use of the Kawaihae harbor, maybe the operators prefer to centralize their operations in Hilo, and think the Big Island is not populous enough (about 200K population) to support two container ports.
More of a general news topic, so I'll post it here rather than in the post linking to the blog entries about the Maui highways.
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on November 16, 2022, 10:20:42 PM
...
Hawaii Route 30 and Hawaii Route 3000
https://www.gribblenation.org/2022/11/hawaii-route-30-and-hawaii-route-3000.html
The state is starting to consider moving a 6-mile segment of Hawaii 30 southeast of Lahaina further inland, partly due to expected rising sea level.
https://www.mauinews.com/news/local-news/2022/11/state-plans-to-launch-study-on-highway-realignment/ (https://www.mauinews.com/news/local-news/2022/11/state-plans-to-launch-study-on-highway-realignment/)
QuoteGiven the seasonal high surf, king tides, stormwater runoff and the predicted 3.2-foot sea level rise that is undermining the roadway, the proposed project aims to address the section from Mile Post 11 in the vicinity of Ukumehame Beach and Mile Post 17 at the southern terminus of the existing Lahaina Bypass in the vicinity of Launiupoko, south of Lahaina town.
The project site would be 3/4-mile wide inland from the current highway alignment, covering the coastal plain in this area, the report said.
...
Shorelines in these areas have been eroding an average of between 1.4 feet per year and 1.9 feet per year, according to University of Hawaii's School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology Coastal Geology Group.
...
All alternatives would move at least a portion of the highway inland, away from the existing coastline and projected sea level rise flooding areas. On the Launiupoko end, all alternatives would connect the improved Honoapiilani Highway with the Lahaina Bypass.
https://wtop.com/lifestyle/2022/12/molten-lava-on-hawaiis-big-island-could-block-main-highway/
Lava flows from the recently erupted Mauna Loa may cross Saddle Rd/HI 200 in upcoming days. Which will make a wreck of cross-Big Island travel and make the bad situation Oscar mentioned upthread of trucks and goods crossing the island just that much worse.
Solar Catcher does a tour on Big Island.
Is anyone aware of the once-proposed Interstate H-4? It was proposed in the 1960s as a bypass of existing Interstate H-1 in Honolulu. It would have started at H-1's Exit 18 and concluded at Exit 25. Although it was never built, there are still freeway-to-freeway ramps at both terminuses, and it likely would have relieved congestion on H-1 (the intention for its construction). Unsurprisingly, intense local opposition prevented its construction. More info here: http://www.hawaiihighways.com/proposed-Interstate-H4-report.pdf.
Quote from: The Ghostbuster on March 30, 2023, 12:20:13 PM
Is anyone aware of the once-proposed Interstate H-4? It was proposed in the 1960s as a bypass of existing Interstate H-1 in Honolulu. It would have started at H-1's Exit 18 and concluded at Exit 25. Although it was never built, there are still freeway-to-freeway ramps at both terminuses, and it likely would have relieved congestion on H-1 (the intention for its construction). Unsurprisingly, intense local opposition prevented its construction. More info here: http://www.hawaiihighways.com/proposed-Interstate-H4-report.pdf.
RoadwayWiz and I did our own take regarding H-4. Essentially much of Hawaii Route 92 was built atop what would have been the H-4 corridor:
https://www.gribblenation.org/2021/12/paper-highways-interstate-h-4-through.html?m=1
I believe kurumi once suggested that an Interstate H-4 should be constructed on Maui: http://kurumi.com/roads/3di/ix01.html#201hi.
Quote from: The Ghostbuster on March 30, 2023, 12:33:37 PM
I believe kurumi once suggested that an Interstate H-4 should be constructed on Maui: http://kurumi.com/roads/3di/ix01.html#201hi.
Where though? Kihei is blowing up in terms of development but there isn't much there that would require a freeway per se along HI 31. Perhaps Lahaina to Kahului via HI 3000, HI 30, HI 380 and HI 3800?
It was always a "Fictional Highways" proposal. There is no way it would ever have been constructed. Another fictional proposal by kurumi was a westbound-only Interstate 338: http://kurumi.com/roads/3di/ix38.html#338ca. Since these fictitious proposals were made before the creation of the forum (which was launched in 2009), I do find them interesting.
Amusingly the Lahaina Bypass (HI 3000) has limited access elements and is going to be extended southward. While unlikely it isn't totally unfeasible to envision the corridor eventually tied off closer to actual freeway standards.
Likewise, HI 3800 does have a partial interchange with Kala Road and only one major at grade intersection with HI 36 east of Dairy Road/HI 380. I could foresee a situation someday where it would be desirable to grade separate HI 3800 and HI 36.
Interesting to note, HI 3800 is multiplexed along HI 380 to the junction of HI 3500/HI 311. I assume that signage was placed given it gave traffic a single route to follow back to Kahului Airport. My thought when I saw it was to truncate HI 380 just to Dairy Road and extend HI 3800 to HI 30.
Quote from: The Ghostbuster on March 30, 2023, 12:33:37 PM
I believe kurumi once suggested that an Interstate H-4 should be constructed on Maui: http://kurumi.com/roads/3di/ix01.html#201hi.
His proposal, "if my conscience ever evaporates", was to essentially freeway-ize the Hana Highway, "to enhance economic development in the Hana metro area" (c'mon, Hana is just a small town with pricey lodgings for rich tourists).
Perhaps out of an abundance of caution, a historic bridges district was established to protect the dozens of one-lane bridges on the highway. When an earthquake on the Big Island closed one of those bridges, it was replaced with a similarly narrow one-lane bridge (deck 13.2 feet wide, including a single 12-foot travel lane and two narrow shoulders).
Here is a SolarCatcher video of the I-H1.