MEDIA RELEASE
The long-awaited 2.2-mile, $27.9 million southern segment of the MÄmalahoa Highway Bypass, which will provide relief to motorists traveling in South Kona, will open to the public on Friday, November 4.
The bypass is located midway between the shoreline and MÄmalahoa Highway. The northern segment of the bypass starts at the southern edge of Keauhou and runs approximately 3.5 miles to the bottom of Haleki‘i Street below Kealakekua’s Kona Scenic subdivision.
This new southern segment extends the roadway, which the Hawai’i County Council named Ali’i Drive, another 2.2 miles from Kealakekua to a new signalized intersection with MÄmalahoa Highway in NÄpo’opo’o.
A large portion of the South Kona community works in either North Kona or South Kohala and commutes daily along MÄmalahoa Highway. The two-lane bypass gives motorists an alternate route between North and South Kona.
Completing the MÄmalahoa Highway Bypass was one of Mayor Kenoi’s priorities upon taking office in 2008. The Mayor was personally involved in talks with Kona residents to ensure that this bypass helps meet the critical need for transportation infrastructure in West Hawai‘i.
MÄmalahoa Highway Bypass Timeline
- 1960 – A MÄmalahoa Relief Highway was first envisioned in “A Plan For Kona,†a document prepared with community input for the State Planning Office. The plan was transmitted to the Hawai‘i County Board of Supervisors, the predecessor of today’s Hawai‘i County Council.
- 1996 – In rezoning the area that would become HÅkÅ«li‘a, County ordinances formalized the developer’s agreement with the community to complete the MÄmalahoa Highway Bypass from Keauhou to Captain Cook.
- 1999 – The Environmental Impact Statement for the MÄmalahoa Highway Bypass was completed. Developer 1250 Oceanside Partners broke ground on the HÅkÅ«li‘a development, the first phase of which included the northern segment of the road.
- 2008 – The County proposed a number of improvements prior to the opening of the northern segment of the MÄmalahoa Highway Bypass. Improvements included work along Ali‘i Drive, along Haleki‘i Street, and on MÄmalahoa Highway. These improvements allowed residents to benefit immediately from the northern segment of the bypass before the southern segment was completed.
- March 2009 – Under a grant of easement in anticipation of dedicating the road to the County, the northern segment of the MÄmalahoa Highway Bypass opened to limited traffic – one lane southbound from 3:30 – 6:30 p.m. on weekdays only. On March 10, the first day it was open, 650 vehicles took the drive from Keauhou to Kealakekua.
- June 2010 – The MÄmalahoa Highway Bypass between Keauhou and Haleki‘i Street opened to northbound and southbound traffic from 6:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., 7 days a week.
- 2012 – The northern segment of the MÄmalahoa Highway Bypass and the .8-mile portion of Haleki‘i Street makai of Muli Street was dedicated to the County.
- January 2013 – The MÄmalahoa Highway Bypass opened daily, 24 hours a day. Restrictions on vehicle types and sizes were removed.
- November 2013 – The Hawai‘i County Council passed a resolution regarding the MÄmalahoa Highway Bypass, naming it Ali‘i Drive.
- July 2014 – Ground was broken for the southern segment of the bypass.
- November 4, 2016 – The 2.2-mile southern segment of MÄmalahoa Highway Bypass opens, completing Ali‘i Drive from Kailua to NÄpo’opo‘o.
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