A Honolulu-based consulting firm has been selected to lead a state- and county-funded study exploring alternate access routes into Puna.
Wilson Okamoto Corp. was awarded the contract in May to conduct the $2.5 million Puna Alternate Route Study. The firm has until December 2026 to complete the work and submit a final report, Councilwoman Ashley Kierkiewicz told the Tribune-Herald on Thursday.
She said the contract includes planning, civil engineering and transportation engineering services to evaluate mauka and makai corridors as potential alternatives to Highway 130 — with the goal of improving emergency preparedness, easing traffic congestion and shortening commute times.
“The study’s purpose is to evaluate and develop feasible alternative route options to enhance transportation access, reduce congestion and improve emergency evacuation routes,” Kierkiewicz said.
The study will define and analyze three mauka and three makai route alternatives and will consider land use, natural resource conservation, engineering feasibility and community priorities. Proposed routes must also avoid Department of Hawaiian Home Lands properties and homestead communities and comply with regulatory requirements, Kierkiewicz said.
Community engagement will be integral to the process. A steering committee of county and community leaders will guide the work, and at least three public informational meetings will be held to solicit feedback and share progress updates, she said.
State Rep. Greggor Ilagan of Puna emphasized the importance of building on past planning efforts rather than duplicating them.
“I just want to make sure that we don’t duplicate the study that already existed in 2005 with the Puna regional circulation plan,” Ilagan told the Tribune-Herald on Thursday. “I want to ensure that the study we do fund and contract out has a provision there that they will determine the best route.”
Ilagan also stressed that construction should be phased.
“They must break it down in phases on what they would recommend on how to construct the road and the reason why,” he said. “It’s going to be very hard to build this road all at once.”
He added that securing funding for the alternative route study was hard work and wants accountability.
“We work hard to secure this funding, and we want to make sure it’s not just wasteful spending,” Ilagan said. “They’re actually being used to move the needle forward on this project.”
Ilagan also called for state participation in the planning process.
“I would require the state to ensure that they are a part of this steering committee so we are involved and part of the discussion,” he said.
Kierkiewicz reflected on the significance of the project for Puna residents.
“For far too long, Puna residents have relied on a single lifeline in and out of our community — a single corridor that leaves us vulnerable when accidents or disasters strike,” she said. “We’ve all experienced ‘Carmageddon,’ those gridlocked days that reveal how fragile our connectivity really is.
“Recent natural disasters have shown the urgent need for alternate routes and stronger regional infrastructure,” she continued. “I’m grateful to see the county and state collaborating on this long overdue effort and am hopeful that together, we can identify positive, lasting solutions to improve safety, access and quality of life for Puna residents.”
Email Daniel Farr at dfarr@hawaiitribune-herald.
