County officials will announce today that $35 million in federal stimulus funds will be used to construct the Ane Keohokalole Highway to connect Palani Road to Hina Lani Street in Kailua, Kona.

Mayor Billy Kenoi is scheduled to make the announcement today at his Kona office.
The highway, also known as “mid-level road,” is a 1.7-mile roadway that will run parallel to the Queen Kaahumanu Highway. The road will include bike lanes, sidewalks, a multi-use path and will be used by the county’s Hele-On Bus service.
The Ane Keohokalole Highway, which is named after the mother of Queen Liliuokalani, will facilitate the state’s development of the Kamakana Village affordable-housing development, the mayor’s office said. The new highway also will serve the Laiopua 2020 planned community, support Kamehameha Schools’ plan to build a preschool, serve the proposed West Hawaii Health Center clinic, and the county’s effort to develop a regional park.
“This isn’t so much about building a highway as it is about building a safe and healthy community,” Kenoi said in a statement. “Access to jobs, education, health centers and recreation can only strengthen our community.”
The county plans to advertise for contract bids beginning today.
Construction is expected to take about two years.