North Shore NewsCertain parts of Oahu’s Kamehameha Highway are nearly a hundred years old. For the most part in this region, Kamehameha Highway is still a 2-lane road. Kamehameha Highway is the only arterial road that connects the coastal communities of Kahalu‘u, Waiahole-Waikane, Ka‘a‘awa, Punalu‘u, Hau‘ula, Lai‘e, Kahuku, Kawela, Sunset and Hale‘iwa.
Parts of the makai (ocean) side was broken off by ocean erosion and the highway is also prone to flooding where waves wash onto the road or streams overflow. Through the decades, concerned residents have called on the city and state to be cognizant about the lack of needed infrastructure in this side of Oahu to support massive developments.
Supporters of the “Keep The Country Country” have continuously raised the need to include the actual capability and capacity of this 2-lane Kamehameha Highway in its land-use planning and decisionmaking. Thus far, the city nor state does not appear to have allocated sufficient funds to address or mitigate the escalating erosion impacts on this 100-year-old road.
Kamehameha Highway has also been regarded as one of the deadliest roads due to frequent traffic accidents. When a fatal accident happens, it is not unusual for residents for wait for hours to get to their destination. The road blockage could last a few hours or the other option is to take a detour drive around the other side of Oahu.