5/12/2026 #kihei #konastorm #flooding #sinkhole #roadrepair
The Kihei Community Association is raising serious concern about the lack of visible progress on repairing the sinkhole that has forced the closure of South Kihei Road near Kamaole II.
South Kihei Road is not a minor connector — it is a critical transportation artery used daily by more than 25,000 residents, workers, and visitors. Its prolonged closure is already straining Piʻilani Highway, increasing emergency response times, and disrupting daily life for the entire South Maui community.
We understand that the County is awaiting permits and federal funding for a full reconstruction. However, months of inactivity at the site is not acceptable for a roadway of this importance.
KCA is urging the County to pursue interim solutions while long‑term funding is pending:
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Option 1: Stabilize the area, backfill, and repave to temporarily reopen the road, then return later for the full federally funded repair.
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Option 2: Partially restore the site to safely reopen at least one lane to relieve congestion and restore basic mobility.
We recognize that temporary work may increase overall project cost, but the community impacts of leaving South Kihei Road closed for an extended period are far greater.
If neither interim option is feasible, we are asking the County to clearly explain why — and to present alternative solutions that address the urgent needs of South Maui residents.
KCA will continue to advocate for transparency, timely action, and safe, reliable infrastructure for our community. We will keep our members updated as we receive additional information.
Mahalo for staying engaged and informed. Together, we can ensure South Maui’s needs are heard and addressed.
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Is county saying ANYTHING about this? I’ve emailed them several times, written to newspapers too. Nothing about what the plans are!
Also Liloa Hema is getting too much heavy traffic – wasn’t built for that and the road itself is undermined from the storms at the dip closest to Keonekai – I have told county about this too.
Mahalo Dec Our fuzzy understanding is the County DPW’s plan concerning storm related damage on SKR is to have their work crew do it in segments North to South, & are in # 2 between Ohukai and Kulanihako’i Next segment from Kulaniho’i South is expected to commence in June, but unclear of the Southern end of this third segment. KCA is communication with both legislative & Administrative reps at County
When this road opened, we expressed dissatisfaction to then DPW Director Goode & Mayor Arakawa . It was a requirement of Towne Development https://gokihei.org/news/kca-talks-with-towne-development-about-building-n-s-collector-road