The date also is the last chance to volunteer for a new citizens' task force to hash out project details, The Maui News reported.

During a second community meeting last week, state Transportation Department Deputy Director Brennon Morioka reiterated the need for public input on state plans for the vital link between Central and West Maui.

"In the end, it's your money. It's not DOT's money. It's not the county's money," Morioka said.

In April, state officials announced what they called an "out-of-the-box" concept to build community consensus on the highway's design in the hope that public support would reduce the project's environmental review period by at least a year and a half.

A draft of an environmental impact statement preparation notice was published by the Office of Environmental Quality Control on May 23. The comment period runs through June 22.

The realignment and widening project will study the section of Honoapi'ilani Highway from Ma'alaea to Launiupoko, addressing basic questions such as whether the project should even go forward, what direction it should take and how it should be built. Cost is not an integral part of the environmental review.

However, during the Thursday night meeting at Lahaina Intermediate School, Morioka was asked whether his department could guarantee that the millions of dollars needed for the project would be in place when needed.

"The answer is no. There is no guarantee," Morioka said.

Still, he said, he would like the task force to form and start working as early as July. So far, about 60 citizens have volunteered to work on the task force, but that number of panel members may not be manageable.

Morioka said his staff may have to whittle down task force membership to about 30 members.

He emphasized that work would be difficult, even frustrating at times. "Absolutely, this is not easy," Morioka said.

Task force members will be asked to sign a charter and commit to three to five years of volunteer work.

The realignment review involves a 12-mile section of Honoapi'ilani Highway from Ma'alaea to Launiupoko, including sections already affected by coastal erosion. Maui County officials proposed four years ago moving the road away from the shoreline to eliminate erosion problems and, as a side benefit, create an eight-mile coastal recreation area on land makai of the realigned highway.

In response to questions from the audience, Morioka said the county's Puamana to Pali park plan was separate from the state's highway realignment project. Also, no decision had been made so far on the exact route for the new highway or how county park plans would fit in with the design.

County Planning Director Jeff Hunt, who was present at the meeting Thursday, said the county's consultant is responding to public comments on the park concept.

The Honoapi'ilani realignment project extends from where the four highway lanes now end near Buzz's Wharf, through the pali area and across the coastal plain from Ukumehame to the future intersection of the planned Lahaina bypass in Launiupoko.

During the meeting, public comments were taken individually by court reporters.

Morioka said the use of court reporters was a more efficient way to obtain testimony and provided individuals a chance to better explain their viewpoints.

Comments about the realignment and widening as well as volunteer applications for the highway realignment task force can be submitted to project manager Wayne Kawahara.

He can be reached at (808) 587-6357 or by writing to: Department of Transportation, Highways Planning Branch, Advanced Planning Section, 869 Punchbowl St., Room 301, Honolulu, HI 96813 or by sending an e-mail to wayne.kawahara@hawaii.gov.

The next community meeting on the highway realignment will be held to review project alternatives for incorporation into the project's draft environmental impact statement.