Residents Petition Against Bypass Road Through Kā’anapali Cultural Sites
A community petition is urging the Hawaii Department of Transportation to reject a proposed bypass highway connector road near Wahikuli Gulch, Canoe Beach, and Ka’anapali hillside neighborhoods. Opponents want planners to choose already-paved alternative routes instead. The proposed connector road would place an on/off ramp near Hanaka’o’o Beach Park, a heavily used cultural and recreational […]
South Kihei Road Closure Hits Month Four, Businesses Report 50% Sales Drop
A sinkhole-caused closure of South Kihei Road near Kamaʻole Beach Park II has entered its fourth month, with local businesses reporting sales down 30–50% and some shutting permanently. County repairs are slightly ahead of schedule, with reopening targeted for late August. South Kihei Road has been closed since March after Kona Low storms caused a […]
Makawao Water System Shows Trace Selenium — Far Below Safety Limits
Multiple outlets including Maui County, Maui Now, Honolulu Star-Advertiser, and KITV reported that trace levels of selenium were detected for the first time in the Makawao water system during routine testing. Officials from the Department of Water Supply and Hawaii Department of Health confirm the levels pose no health risk and are well below federal […]
Maui County Seeks Public Input on Desalination Plants for South & West Maui
The County of Maui Department of Water Supply is hosting two public meetings in August 2026 to gather community feedback on proposed desalination facilities being evaluated as a long-term water solution for South and West Maui. The meetings follow a 2024 feasibility study that identified potential facility sites for further review. Two public meetings are […]
Kahului Beach Road Closed Between Kanaloa Ave and Lower Main St
Kahului Beach Road is temporarily closed in both directions between Kanaloa Avenue and Lower Main Street following a motor vehicle accident. Guests traveling through Kahului should expect delays and plan alternate routes. Kahului Beach Road is shut down in both directions as of July 15, 2026. The closure spans the stretch between Kanaloa Avenue and […]
Kula Group Pushes for Water Tanks After 2023 Fire Exposed Infrastructure Gaps
The Kula Community Association is pressing state and county officials to build two 500,000-gallon gravity-fed water tanks in Upcountry Maui to improve wildfire firefighting capacity. No concrete progress has been made since the August 2023 wildfires exposed critical water pressure failures in the area. The Kula Community Association wants two 500,000-gallon high-elevation water tanks built […]
Maui Transportation Planning Agency Names New Executive Director
Kasie M. Apo Takayama has been appointed executive director of the Maui Metropolitan Planning Organization, which coordinates transportation planning and investment across the island. She brings nearly a decade of county legislative and policy experience. Apo Takayama previously served as a senior legislative analyst for the Maui County Office of Council Services for nearly ten […]
Emergency Main Break Cuts Water to Kahului’s Aleo Place for 6 Hours
A mainline break on Aleo Place in Kahului caused an emergency water shutoff affecting roughly 20 connections starting the evening of July 13. Service was expected to be restored within approximately six hours. Water service was interrupted starting at 7:45 p.m. on July 13 due to an emergency mainline break on Aleo Place, Kahului. The […]
Federal Funding to Replace Six Aging Bridges Along Hana Highway
Hawaii’s Department of Transportation will receive $24 million in federal funds to rehabilitate and replace approximately six bridges in the Hana Highway Historical District. The funding was secured by U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz through the Senate Appropriations Committee. The Hawaii DOT will receive $24 million in federal funding for Hana Highway bridge work. Approximately six […]
Lahaina Bypass North Extension Gets $100M Funding, Construction Set for 2028
Hawaii’s Department of Transportation is moving forward with a 4.5-mile northern extension of the Lahaina Bypass from Lahaina to Kāʻanapali, funded by $100 million from Maui County’s federal disaster recovery grant. Construction is expected to begin in mid-to-late 2028 and be completed by December 2030. The 4.5-mile northern bypass extension will create a critical additional […]