County to discuss making Waipio Valley Access Road safer

Hawaii County is considering ways to make the Waipio Valley Access Road safer and will discuss options at a meeting next week in Honokaa.

Public Works Director Warren Lee said there are no plans in place yet, but one of the main concerns are bottle necks that are wide enough only for one vehicle at a time.

“We’re doing the geological review right now and assessment,” he said. “We’re still in the assessment stage.”

The meeting starts at 6 p.m. Aug. 25 in the Honokaa complex gym.

Initially built by Honokaa Sugar Co., the road offers some of the most picturesque views on the Big Island as it descends about 1,000 feet in elevation to the valley floor. It was transferred to the county in 1966.

The road, which hugs the edge of the valley wall from top to bottom, is also easily one of the steepest in the state. Four-wheel-drive vehicles, which are a must, compete with hikers for space on a regular basis, helping to add to safety concerns.

“There’s a lot of traffic down there other than residents,” Lee said.

That’s been a source of conflict for residents for some time, and many worry about making it too accessible.

“Safety is the bottom line, obviously,” said Doug Genovia, who owns and leases land in the valley. “At the same time … we don’t want it to be so much work that it encourages more access, easier access to Waipio.”

While the entire road is substandard, Lee said there’s only so much that can be done.

“The slope itself is pretty tough,” he said. “You got to figure out what is practical and reasonable.”

In addition to hikers, drivers who lack experience on the road also add to safety concerns, said Hamakua Councilwoman Valerie Poindexter, who is helping to organize the meeting. That only gets worse as traffic increases.

“The road was not made for this type of traffic,” she said.

Email Tom Callis at tcallis@hawaiitribune-herald.com.