Road numbers hard to figure

By Mike Leidemann
Advertiser Transportation Writer

Sooner or later, it happens to everyone: A tourist emerges out of nowhere to ask the one local question that's almost impossible to answer, no matter how long you've lived here:

"Excuse me. Do you know how to get to Route 63?"

Of course, you do. You just don't know it by that name.

"I don't know why, but we just don't use road numbers here," said Ronald Tsuzuki, who heads the planning office in the state Transportation Department's Highways Division. "We just don't."

It's not that the roads aren't numbered. In fact, Tsuzuki's office is charged with maintaining a system for numbering all state roads, from freeways to unpaved paths. The list is maintained on official state Transportation Maps that are updated, usually with each newly elected governor, to keep up with changing road conditions, Tsuzuki said.

Still, if you ask an average driver where Highway 11 is, you're likely to get a blank stare. You might get the same look if you ask an expert.

"I've got to admit that without a map in front of me, I'd have a difficult time telling you where Highway 61 or Highway 93 is," Tsuzuki said.

Actually, the state's system for numbering roads is systematic and logical. The state follows national guidelines set down by the American Association of State Highways and Transportation Officials, said DOT spokeswoman Marilyn Kali.

Because of the Islands' unique configuration, the state makes an exception for the recommendation that north-south routes end in odd numbers and east-west routes end in even numbers, she said.

Instead, the highways are numbered by island. All roads beginning with a 10 or 20 are on the Big Island. The 30s are on Maui; the 40s are on Moloka'i and Lana'i; the 50s are on Kaua'i, while O'ahu (sometimes called "The Overpass Island") claims everything from the 60s to the 90s.

Then the roads are numerically divided according to how heavily they are used.

• Two-digit routes are assigned to the primary highways such as Kamehameha (Route 99) on O'ahu or the Belt Highway (No. 11) on the Big Island.
• Three-digit numbers are reserved for secondary state highways. Often they are smaller versions or spurs of their big brother roadways. Hana Highway starts off as Route 36 near Kahului, then becomes Route 360 halfway to heaven, or Hana. Maui's Route 377 is a loop from Route 37. As you might expect, all the roads on Lana'i and Moloka'i have three-digit numbers; apparently, the traffic situation there hasn't warranted any highways worthy of just two numbers.
• Four-digit route numbers are for minor roads in the state highway system. Normally, they wouldn't even warrant a number, but get one because they received special federal financing, often as part of a roadway improvement project on a military base.

So, it's pretty simple to figure out how to get to Route 63, right?

Not so fast. After this, things really start to get complicated. Many state routes, especially on Maui, are signed on the highway with numbers different from those on official maps. County highways sometimes share the same space as state highways, with different numbering systems, or sometimes the state and counties switch "ownership" of the roadways without changing signs.

Then there are some highways that change route numbers numerous times, almost willy-nilly.

For example, Kamehameha Highway on O'ahu starts as Route 99 east of Pearl Harbor, then turns into route 80 through Wahiawa, then back to Route 99 (after Route 99 detours around Wahiawa over other roads), then becomes an unnumbered highway through Hale'iwa, then continues as Route 83, then goes through a number change in Kane'ohe before finally ending west of Kailua as Route 83.

So, after all that can you finally answer the question: "Do you know how to get to Route 63?"

Of course, you do. Someone just needs to tell you that's it's also called Likelike Highway.

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