$1.4M released by state to design Waimea Roadway Improvements Project

Gov. Josh Green has released $1.4 million for the design of the Waimea Roadway Improvements Project in South Kohala to address longstanding transportation challenges in the area.

Challenges range from congestion to limited pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure, as well as a history of traffic conflicts and crashes. The upgrades are expected to reduce travel delays, improve air quality and emergency response times, and create safer, more accessible routes for those who live in and travel through the area.

They will also help establish safer routes to schools within the community.

Planned upgrades include median turning and refuge lanes, curbs and gutters, bike lanes, sidewalks, landscaped medians, and the relocation or adjustment of existing utilities along ʻŌpelu Road to Māmalahoa Highway, Māmalahoa Highway, and Kaomola to Lindsey Roads, according to a news release from the Hawai‘i House of Representatives.

“This project is a critical investment in public infrastructure— improving public facilities and services by reducing congestion in Waimea Town while expanding transportation options through the introduction of shared-use paths and bike lanes,” said Hawai‘i Island Rep. David Tarnas. “This effort represents a significant step toward modernizing Waimea’s transportation network while supporting safety, mobility, and quality of life for residents and visitors.”

A key project component includes a proposed roundabout at the currently unsignalized intersection of Kawaihae and Lindsey Roads. This roundabout is the centerpiece of the project and is expected to have a diameter of approximately 125 feet. It will be designed to accommodate WB-62 vehicles with trailers, improving safety while supporting larger vehicle traffic.

Tarnas helped secure $9.6 million in appropriations for the project during the 2023 legislative session. The monies released this week is specifically for the design, the lawmaker explained.

“Once they get the design through, then we’ll ask for the rest for the construction,” Tarnas said.

The project builds on earlier planning efforts and extensive community input gathered through a Planning and Environment Linkages process completed in 2019.

In 2024, the Hawaiʻi State Department of Transportation – Highways Division finalized an environmental assessment (EA) evaluating potential impacts across a range of environmental and community factors.

The assessment concluded with a Finding of No Significant Impact. As the project is largely confined to existing roadway corridors, environmental effects are expected to be minimal and primarily short-term during construction.

The findings from the EA identified 60 traffic collisions within the study area in five years from 2012 through 2016, as well as a lack of safe crossing opportunities, with few refuge areas or designated safety zones. This lack of infrastructure discourages walking and bicycling, even for short trips within the town.

On March 5, Department of Transportation Director Ed Sniffen presented updates on upcoming transportation projects at a Waimea Community Association meeting. A recording of the town meeting is available on YouTube here.

To learn more about the project, visit the project’s environmental assessment here.