Hele-On Bus Adds Route Into Hawaiian Paradise Park

A new route inside Hawaiian Paradise Park has been added to the Hele-On Bus system.

The sprawling Puna subdivision’s community center located on Maku`u Drive between 16^th Avenue and 17^th Avenue will serve as the dedicated bus stop for the new route. Parking for riders is available there.

The Hilo-bound bus will turn from Highway 130 down Maku`u Drive, then cross over on 16^th Avenue to Paradise Drive before returning to the highway. It will run through HPP at 6:25 a.m., 12:05 p.m. and 4:35 p.m.

The Pahoa-bound bus will take the same path in reverse and will make stops in HPP at 10:45 a.m., 2:35 p.m. and 4:50 p.m.

Riders can also flag down the bus in areas considered safe for stopping.

The service begins on Monday, April 1, and will run Monday through Friday.

The Pohoiki/Pahoa/Hilo bus route currently extends down Highway 130 and along Highway 137 to Kapoho, with side routes into Nanawale Estates and down Kahakai Boulevard.

Hele-On also operates on that route on Saturdays, although the HPP service apparently will not be offered that day.

The new route was announced today by County Councilman Greggor Ilagan, who credited the efforts of a variety of people for getting it established.

“This new Hele-On Bus route in HPP is the result of many people working together,” Ilagan said in a statement.

According to Ilagan, they included Tiffany Kai, acting administrator for the county’s Mass Transit Agency; June Conant, president of the HPP Owner’s Association; the subdivision’s board of directors; and Mayor Billy Kenoi.

For information contact the Mass Transit Agency at 961-8744 or www.heleonbus.org.