Lahainaluna Road has officially reopened for unrestricted public access 6 a.m. Friday, marking a significant milestone in the wildfire recovery process, announced Maui County.
Following the complete removal of all debris in the area surrounding Lahainaluna Road and the Pioneer Mill smokestack by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and declaring the smokestack structurally sound, the county is able to ensure public safety and reopened the road.
On Oct. 3, the county set up a 150-foot fall zone in all directions surrounding the smokestack while engineers conducted structural evaluations. This safety measure included barricading portions of and restricting access through Lahainaluna Road and Mill Street.
A security checkpoint was relocated to Lahainaluna Road and Kuhua Street to monitor the “fall zone” and to facilitate access if an evacuation became necessary. With the smokestack deemed safe, the checkpoint and barricades have been removed.
The county has also resurfaced and replaced signs on Lahainaluna Road.
Now that the final phase of infrastructure improvements is done, all road closures and barricades, including those mauka of Honoapiilani Highway and Kuhua Street will be reallocated to allow for smooth traffic flow.
“We are pleased to inform the community that these critical recovery milestones have been achieved,” said Mayor Richard Bissen in a news release. “With debris operations in the area completed and Lahainaluna Road to be fully accessible, we are one step closer to returning to normalcy. Mahalo to our Public Works employees for their diligence in conducting engineering studies to ensure the community’s safety.”
Drivers and pedestrians are asked to remain cautious while adjusting to road conditions and any changing traffic patterns in the coming week.