Posted on: Thursday, October 4, 2001

Waimea bypass gets $1.8 million

By Hugh Clark
Advertiser Big Island Bureau

WAIMEA, Hawai'i — Gov. Ben Cayetano has released $1.8 million for the planning and design of the lower portion of a South Kohala bypass highway, a route that is intended to speed up travel between Kona and Hilo.

The bypass has been discussed for three decades, but was stalled by objections from Native Hawaiians concerned about the impact of the project on homestead lands between Waimea and Hamakua. Those holding pasture leases fear that the highway will cut their ranches in half.

The first phase of the 17-mile highway project involves construction of a road from the Waimea-Kohala Airport to the Queen Ka'ahumanu Highway at Hapuna on the coastline. It will provide a more direct route than the narrow, twisting Kawaihae Road that connects Waimea town to Kawaihae.

The upper portion of the project would run from the airport east to the Mud Lane area.

State Rep. Jim Rath, R-6th (South Kohala, North Kona), said yesterday that the design phase of the new highway is long overdue. The road "will serve both ends of our island," he said.

Peter Young, former president of the Waimea Community Association and now Mayor Harry Kim's managing director for West Hawai'i, said most Waimea residents welcome the long-overdue bypass.

"This will help unite both sides of the island," he said.

However, Young noted that the concerns of homesteaders east of Waimea still need to be discussed.