The Hawaii Department of Transportation (HDOT) has begun work to improve an employee parking lot at Līhu‘e Airport. The project is expected to ease congestion in the airport’s public parking area.
The upgrades will convert an existing overflow gravel lot northeast of the main terminal into a paved area with marked stalls, lighting, access control, security cameras, drainage and other improvements. Once finished, the 2.3-acre lot will provide space for up to 347 employee vehicles, increasing capacity by about 117 stalls.
Currently, parking at Līhu‘e Airport is limited for both travelers and employees. The public lot has 578 spaces, while the main employee lot has 333 spaces. During busy travel periods, some employee spaces are made available to the public, causing employees to use the overflow gravel lot.
With completion of the new paved lot, HDOT says there will be more flexibility for officials to allocate some employee parking spaces for public use during peak times.
The $10.2 million project was awarded to Alpha, Inc., and is scheduled for completion by fall 2026. HDOT stated it would inform the public if construction affects traffic flow in or out of the airport.
In addition to this project, HDOT plans to expand public parking by converting two landscaped parcels at each end of the current lot into additional spaces. Preliminary assessments suggest this could add about 128 public stalls. This expansion is still in design and targeted for completion in early 2029.
Other options for expanding both public and employee parking are being considered as part of a long-term Līhu‘e Airport Optimization Plan that remains under development and will require community input.
HDOT operates as a state agency responsible for planning, designing, constructing and maintaining transportation facilities across Hawaii’s six major islands according to its official website. The department manages airports—including Līhu‘e—harbors and highways throughout the state as detailed on its website. It coordinates with federal agencies such as the Federal Aviation Administration and local governments to maintain transportation infrastructure.
