Kauai Roads

[Max Rockatansky]

Something a mystery has popped up in my research for Hawaii Route 50.  Most the modern bridges along Kaumualii Highway west of Waimea were built during 1957.  In theory wouldn't the presumptive routing prior to that point been around Mana Road west of Kekaha?  No maps show Hawaii Route 50 on Mana Road, but it was probably way too early into the system being on Kauai for it to be even signed.

[Mapmikey]

Something a mystery has popped up in my research for Hawaii Route 50.  Most the modern bridges along Kaumualii Highway west of Waimea were built during 1957.  In theory wouldn't the presumptive routing prior to that point been around Mana Road west of Kekaha?  No maps show Hawaii Route 50 on Mana Road, but it was probably way too early into the system being on Kauai for it to be even signed.

It appears the current HI 50 routing is shown on the 1950 historic aerial...

[Max Rockatansky]

Something a mystery has popped up in my research for Hawaii Route 50.  Most the modern bridges along Kaumualii Highway west of Waimea were built during 1957.  In theory wouldn't the presumptive routing prior to that point been around Mana Road west of Kekaha?  No maps show Hawaii Route 50 on Mana Road, but it was probably way too early into the system being on Kauai for it to be even signed.

It appears the current HI 50 routing is shown on the 1950 historic aerial...

Right, I know the road 50 currently takes was also there.  What gets me is why was current Kaumualii Highway in such bad shape that it requires so much investment with new bridges west of Kekaha/Waimea circa 1957?  The Kekaha Sugar Company was still a big deal in the era, maybe they wanted the highway improved?  Or was it the military who wanted something to avoid having to use substandard plantation roads?

Mana Road today is gated closed or signed indicating it as private from the Kekaha end.  Mana Road was closer to the KSC railroad line and is directly aligned with Mana, Lower Saki Mana Road and Polihale State Park.  Everything is screaming it was once the through road.  Maybe not into the Hawaii Route era but early Kauai Belt Road?

Also, I'm assuming current Kaumualii Highway was built to serve the KSC airport?  That was the airport which was taken over during World War II and eventually became the Pacific Missile Range Facility.