Drivers won’t be able to travel from Hana to Kaupo during the closure.


Maui County is shutting down a section of Hana Highway in East Maui because of safety threats in recent weeks from falling rocks.

Maui County locator map

In a news release late Wednesday, the government announced it would be closing a section of the highway from Alelele Bridge to Lelekea Bridge, which will temporarily prevent drivers from traveling between Hana and Kaupo. The county says the closure could last up to a month while crews work to remove loose rocks and make the cliffside along the highway safe again.

The shutdown came after a car last week was damaged when mud and rocks slid down the cliff and onto the road. The driver wasn’t hurt, but the incident triggered the government to launch a safety evaluation, which on Wednesday officially deemed the cliffside along the road unsafe, according to the county.

The county says it’s putting up message boards in Kanaio and in Hana to alert drivers of the closure.

Civil Beat’s coverage of Maui County is supported in part by a grant from the Nuestro Futuro Foundation.

What stories will you help make possible?

Since 2010, Civil Beat’s reporting has painted a more complete picture of Hawaii — stories that you won’t find anywhere else.

Your donation, however big or small, will ensure that Civil Beat has the resources to provide you with thorough, unbiased reporting on the issues that matter most to Hawaii. We can’t do this without you.

 

About the Author