Honoapi‘ilani Highway Relocation Process

During the Olowalu Talk Story workshop, options to improve Honoapi‘ilani Highway evolved from simply widening the existing road to considering various alternatives, including the ones shown at right. The alignment favored by workshop participants (far right) provided the best opportunity to serve a small town at Olowalu and to enhance the free flow of highway traffic.

The Innovative Olowalu O-Turn: How the O-Turn Works

The Olowalu Turn or O-Turn works by preventing drivers from making left turns across traffic. Drivers safely take a U-turn with the help of merge lanes and enter into the flow of traffic going in the reverse direction. Then, by merging to the right lane, drivers may turn right and reach their destination. Meetings with the Department of Transportation have been productive and they have been receptive to these innovative ideas.

No Stoplights, Continuous Flow
One of the problems with the existing flow of traffic through Olowalu is that cars mak­ing turns off the highway – especially left-turns – invariably slow the overall flow of the traffic. Our mainland and local traffic engineers at the workshop introduced a new approach to Maui which we call the "O-Turn." It is an efficient solution that allows for easy and safe turns without interrupting the flow of traffic and is successfully being used in other states. Our traffic engineers have designed it to accommodate the existing and future traffic volumes on Honoapi‘ilani Highway.

O-Turn Benefits

• No stoplights
  
• No under/overpass
  
• Easy turns
  
• Long on/off lanes
  
• Continuous traffic flow

Relocation Highlights

• Highway constructed in conjunction with first phase of development
  
• Three separate O-Turns provide access to town and disperse traffic and allow left turns without delays
  
• Medians designed to accommodate light rail or other mass transit system, as it becomes available
  
• Public access to larger beach parks between the relocated highway and the ocean