Hāna Highway will be closed to motorists for up to a month, according to a Maui County news release.

The nearly 1-mile closure will go from Alelele Bridge to Lelekea Bridge near Kīpahulu in East Maui. This will prevent vehicles from driving from East Maui to South Maui. Maui County crews set up barriers Thursday to stop traffic from traversing the area. 

Drivers who wish to reach the Kīpahulu District of Haleakalā National Park may due so from East Maui, but will not be able to reach the area if they are driving from the Kaupō direction.

The road closure will allow county crews to work on stabilizing cliffside conditions. Maui County officials estimate it will take two weeks to secure a contractor and another two weeks to remove loose and unstable rocks.

An engineering assessment deemed the section of the road between Alelele Bridge and Lelekea Bridge dangerous on Wednesday. The report follows recent rockfall, which blocked the road. Last week, a vehicle was damaged by falling rocks and cliffside mud. The driver was uninjured.

Editor's note: This post has been updated to include information about accessing the Kīpahulu District of Haleakalā National Park and more details about the rock stabilization work.

Michelle Broder Van Dyke covers the Hawaiian Islands for Spectrum News Hawaii. Email her at michelle.brodervandyke@charter.com.