Nighttime closures are planned for Puʻunēnē Avenue in Kahului, Hawaiʻi, as the Hawaii Department of Transportation (HDOT) will carry out paving and striping work next week. The affected area is between Wākea Avenue and Kūihelani Highway.
A full road closure is scheduled to begin at 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday, February 24, and continue nightly until 4:30 a.m. Friday, February 27. The final closure will be lifted on Friday morning unless work finishes earlier. Contractors will be working on both paving and striping during this period.
On Monday, February 23, alternating single lane closures in either direction will take place from 8:30 p.m. to 4:30 a.m. the following day. Similar alternating lane closures may occur again from Thursday night into Friday morning if paving is completed in two nights; otherwise, the full road closure will remain in effect. During these times, flaggers will assist motorists and one through lane will stay open in each direction.
Detours have been outlined for drivers during the full closure period. Those traveling to Kahului from Maui Veterans Highway should turn right onto Mayor Elmer F. Cravalho Way (Route 3800), then left onto Dairy Road due to a roadblock at the intersection with Puʻunēnē Avenue. Drivers heading to Wailuku from Maui Veterans Highway can use Kūihelani Highway westbound, with Maui Lani Parkway providing another route into Wailuku or Kahului.
Construction barriers will be placed at several intersections to facilitate safe work zones. No right turns from West Papa Avenue or left turns from East Papa Avenue onto Puʻunēnē Avenue will be allowed during construction. Access to Puʻukani Street can be made via Hukilike Street.
Residents living on streets adjacent to Puʻunēnē Avenue can find more information about access at https://hidot.hawaii.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Detour-Plan-Full-Closure.pdf.
The project is part of ongoing improvements aimed at increasing traffic flow and enhancing vehicle and freight movement by adding lanes and updating traffic signals along this central Maui corridor.
All construction activity depends on weather conditions. Updates about scheduling or changes can be found on HDOT’s social media channels at https://www.facebook.com/HawaiiDepartmentOfTransportation and Twitter/X @DOTHawaii.
The Hawaii Department of Transportation manages facilities including airports for domestic and international carriers, commercial harbors, and a statewide highway system across all six major Hawaiian islands according to its official website. As part of the executive branch of the State of Hawaii government (source), HDOT operates multiple transportation infrastructures such as airports, harbors, and over 2,400 lane miles of highways (source). Its mission includes providing a safe and efficient transportation system that supports mobility for people and goods while fostering economic growth (source). The department also works with federal agencies like the Federal Aviation Administration and local county departments (source).