Hawaii DOT has launched preliminary environmental studies for a 3-mile northward extension of the Lahaina Bypass, aimed at improving evacuation safety and traffic redundancy in West Maui. Construction is estimated to begin by late 2028, funded in part by $100 million in federal wildfire disaster funds.
- HDOT is studying Phase 1C of the Lahaina Bypass, extending roughly 3 miles north from Keawe Street to Kakaʻalaneo Drive.
- The phase is estimated to cost $220–$250 million; Maui County has committed $100 million in federal wildfire recovery funding, leaving a significant funding gap.
- Construction could begin by end of 2028 with completion around 2030, though HDOT’s own project site lists the timeline as undetermined.
- The push stems from the 2023 Lahaina wildfire, which exposed West Maui’s dangerous reliance on a single primary evacuation route.
- Even when complete, the extension will improve redundancy but will not create a fully independent alternative route out of West Maui.
Source: Beatofhawaii
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