Jump to content

West Maui heavy traffic


Astro Flyer
 Share

Recommended Posts

Here's a link to information about traffic delays in West Maui (Lahaina, Ka'anapali, Napili, Kapalua) and things for visitors to consider particularly for cruise ship passengers. This Maui News story describes the routine slow driving conditions which are worse when there is an accident or brushfire. And those incidents can even result in the road being closed for hours.

 

http://www.mauinews.com/news/local-news/2017/05/solutions-for-pali-traffic-woes-elusive/

 

I'm not trying to frighten anyone but to make you aware of how bad the traffic has become in West Maui so you can plan for delays to not miss the ship. This is the only viable route for West Maui because the road around the north end is not good around the small village of Kahakuloa.

 

After decades of delays, construction on the Lahaina bypass began but the traffic lights at each end of the underutilized partially completed route resulted in worse traffic. Politicians propose unreasonable solutions such as a ferry from Ma'alaea to Lahaina or widening the northern Kahekili road.

 

Much of the story is about the politics of the situation which doesn't directly affect visitors but traffic delays will affect the time necessary for cruise ship passengers to enjoy West Maui.

 

Have a great visit to our Valley Isle but please consider the West Maui traffic conditions when planning your visit.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Is that a new Lahaina bypass that cuts inland (to the east) of the main drag of Lahaina (not Front St)? Or the main road? Things got better when they improved the main road through Lahaina.

 

I understand the comments, tho. It can be jammed with traffic in those peak hours. Doesn't matter. Will still be there in September and next March, and probably October or November of 2018.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Is that a new Lahaina bypass that cuts inland (to the east) of the main drag of Lahaina (not Front St)? Or the main road? Things got better when they improved the main road through Lahaina.

 

I understand the comments, tho. It can be jammed with traffic in those peak hours. Doesn't matter. Will still be there in September and next March, and probably October or November of 2018.

Yes Bruce...It is the new Lahaina bypass road near the base of the West Maui mountains mauka (mountains which you probably already knew) of the main road (Honoapiilani). Widening the section of Honoapiilani through Lahaina helped for awhile but based on the news story it's already overwhelmed with traffic.

 

Friends in West Maui have also experienced long traffic delays without any incidents on the road. When I used the bypass it was a much longer distance with very few cars but it still took the same amount of time as driving Honoapiilani in traffic.

 

We enjoyed West Maui when Ohana had an oceanfront condo decades ago but traffic was one of the reasons we bought a South Maui house.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks. I saw what I thought was a new bypass last time we were there (November), but it didn't appear to be open.

 

In my opinion, part of the problem now becomes you have 3 different roads (Front St, the main highway, and the new bypass) now reducing to one lane each way, both north and south of Lahaina. Makes for a major bottleneck.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We were on Radiance of the Seas in Lahaina back on Wednesday and Thursday, We booked a tour/lunch at O'o Farm up in Kula for Thursday as they were fully booked on Wednesday. I almost cancelled as it ran till 1:30 pm and we needed to be at the dock NLT 4:30 pm and we had to drop the rental car at Kapalua Airport. Under normal conditions that was plenty of time but all it takes is one accident on Hwy 30 and we would have been in a mess. As it was we were in the line for the tender boats by 3:15 but I am not sure I would do that again. Not a large margin for error.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We were on Radiance of the Seas in Lahaina back on Wednesday and Thursday, We booked a tour/lunch at O'o Farm up in Kula for Thursday as they were fully booked on Wednesday. I almost cancelled as it ran till 1:30 pm and we needed to be at the dock NLT 4:30 pm and we had to drop the rental car at Kapalua Airport. Under normal conditions that was plenty of time but all it takes is one accident on Hwy 30 and we would have been in a mess. As it was we were in the line for the tender boats by 3:15 but I am not sure I would do that again. Not a large margin for error.

I also prefer to not cut if that close in any port.

 

Lahaina is the last Hawaiian port on many Princess cruises & missing the ship would result in missing the required non-US port (Ensenada). That would result in a PVSA fine & a flight back to LA which would be an expensive mistake.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Once when staying at the Sheraton Hotel in Kaanapali Beach, we started talking to a young couple in the bar. They had been married on the mainland, taken a flight to Maui, and were on their way to the hotel from the airport. One of those brush fires had started and closed the road for the entire night. They spent the night in their car - not quite the honeymoon experience they'd planned! Things like that don't happen often, but when they do in a place with basically one way in and out, it can be a real problem.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Here's the most recent example about why it can be dangerous to completely drive around the north end of Maui from West Maui to Wailuku on Kahekili Hwy. Unfortunately this happens several times per year but thankfully this time no one was killed or seriously injured. The basically one lane cliff side road near Kahakuloa is why when the primary 2-land road (Honoapi'ilani) is closed between Central & West Maui that MPD won't allow visitors to drive this route. It must have taken a long time for them to deal with the rental car agency but thankfully they were able to do it in person.

 

2 rescued after car goes over cliff

 

The Maui News

May 28, 2017

 

Maui firefighters rappelled 30 to 40 feet down a Kahakuloa cliffside Friday afternoon to reach a Seattle couple whose rental car had toppled over and only stopped falling after getting snagged by a tree, said Fire Services Chief Edward Taomoto.

 

The 62-year-old man and his 67-year-old wife were uninjured, but they were stuck in the sedan for about an hour and 45 minutes before firefighters reached them and brought them topside, he said.

 

The trouble started when the couple’s sedan faced a school bus coming in the opposite direction on a single-lane portion of Kahekili Highway, he said. The sedan driver backed up, misjudged the embankment’s edge and backed over the precipice on the Wailuku side of Makamakaole Gulch.

 

The vehicle dropped at least 30 feet and came to rest on its side after a tree stopped it from falling another 20 feet to the cliff bottom, Taomoto said.

 

Emergency dispatchers were called at 2:58 p.m., and Wailuku firefighters were at the scene at 3:17 p.m. A Kahului station rescue crew also assisted.

 

Led by schoolchildren down a trail to the cliff bottom, firefighters were unable to reach the couple above them, Taomoto said. They reassured the couple to calm them and decided to rappel to them.

 

Firefighters rigged a rope system, made their way down to the car and got the occupants out — one by one — and back to the highway by 4:45 p.m., he said. The two were checked by medics.

 

As of Saturday afternoon, the sedan remained on the cliffside, Taomoto said. A tow truck crew was unable to retrieve it, and it will need to be raised by a crane, he added.

 

http://www.mauinews.com/news/local-news/2017/05/2-rescued-after-car-goes-over-cliff/

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 10 months later...

Today a new section of the Lahaina bypass route opened resulting in 30 minute drives taking 90 minutes. Due to the traffic delay Google Maps routed people on the more hazardous Kahekili Hwy route through Kahakuloa around the north end of Maui.

 

So for anyone planning to drive to/from the West Maui area (Lahaina to Kapalua) you should plan on traffic delays. Hopefully things will eventually improve but I wouldn’t count on that happening soon.

 

http://www.mauinews.com/news/local-news/2018/04/bypass-opening-offers-some-bumps-in-the-road/

 

http://mauinow.com/2018/04/24/motorists-report-honoapiilani-congestion-as-lahaina-bypass-phase-1b-2-opens/

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm trying to figure out if I'm going to be stuck in stop-and-go traffic. My plans are to travel to Kahului (on the way to the Road to Hana) starting from the rental car place in Kaanapali around 9:30-10 am. And then back to Kaanapali late in the day, say around 6-7 pm. The ship overnights off of Lahaina and the rental car company allows late return key drop off, so no worries there.

 

Best I can tell from the news stories is the traffic from Kaanapali to Kahului is heavy late afternoon (commuters). And the traffic is heavy from Kahului to Kaanapali early-mid morning (commuters) as well as mid-afternoon (tourists from the airport).

 

I understand that accidents and brush fires happen and there are no guarantees but will I most likely miss the heavy traffic?

 

I know that I'm not going north of Kaanapali on the Honoapiilani Highway or north of Kahului on the Kahikili Highway no matter what Google Maps tells me :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Things can be a bit heavier in the 9:30-10 time frame because people are checking out and heading to the airport from West Maui. That peaks more around 10-11, with mandatory 11am checkouts, and most of the direct to mainland flights at 12-2pm.

 

While I have been there many times, can't ever recall driving Kahalui-West Maui after 6pm. I can tell you the worst we have ever seen was in the 4pm time frame.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 months later...

Sorry for reviving this old thread...

 

Is the traffic still really bad?

 

We have a 8am-8pm in-port time docked at Kahului.

 

Were thinking of renting a car and driving to West Maui. Hopefully, at least able to stop by Kapalua Bay and Napili for some snorkeling time and a short Lahaina visit as well.

 

I assume that would be do-able...iff no roads are closed due to accident or fire?

 

But if roads are closed, how likely would we be stuck and stranded overnight in the car like that honeymooning couple and missed our ship?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sorry for reviving this old thread...

 

Is the traffic still really bad?

 

We have a 8am-8pm in-port time docked at Kahului.

 

Were thinking of renting a car and driving to West Maui. Hopefully, at least able to stop by Kapalua Bay and Napili for some snorkeling time and a short Lahaina visit as well.

 

I assume that would be do-able...iff no roads are closed due to accident or fire?

 

But if roads are closed, how likely would we be stuck and stranded overnight in the car like that honeymooning couple and missed our ship?

 

Your list of cruises shows you will be on Oceania's Regatta in November. In checking the Lahaina cruise ship schedule, the Regatta will anchor off of Lahaina - not dock in Kahului.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Your list of cruises shows you will be on Oceania's Regatta in November. In checking the Lahaina cruise ship schedule, the Regatta will anchor off of Lahaina - not dock in Kahului.

 

When we said Lahaina, that was because the Regatta was listed (on "Crew Center" schedules) as being there in November - and it was not on the list of ships docking in Kahului. In checking Oceania's website though, they say their ship will dock in Kahului, so they should know and we stand corrected. Sorry for the confusion.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sorry for reviving this old thread...

 

Is the traffic still really bad?

 

We have a 8am-8pm in-port time docked at Kahului.

 

Were thinking of renting a car and driving to West Maui. Hopefully, at least able to stop by Kapalua Bay and Napili for some snorkeling time and a short Lahaina visit as well.

 

I assume that would be do-able...iff no roads are closed due to accident or fire?

 

But if roads are closed, how likely would we be stuck and stranded overnight in the car like that honeymooning couple and missed our ship?

 

If you leave West Maui by 4 PM, you should have plenty of time. Although it is possible, it is very unlikely that you would be stuck overnight. I would think that Oceania would have excursions to West Maui. (You might want to check the timing on these). If the road was totally closed and you were ahead of the ship’s excursion, I would think the ship would wait.

Obviously no absolute guarantee.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks Silver Sweethearts and jagoffee for the info...will take a closer look before making the final decision on car rental.

 

Thanks again for your time.

 

A couple of months ago a new section of the Lahaina bypass road was opened from Olowalu to Lahaina. Initially it resulted in longer delays however the problems have been corrected because I haven’t read about any longer delays but more routine traffic delays.

 

Until the final section of the bypass from Lahaina to Ka’anapali is completed we won’t know if the bypass will alleviate some of the congestion. However that’s years away so currently instead of bypassing Lahaina, it’s still creating a bottleneck where it ends at the Lahaina Cannery Mall.

 

None of these changes will help when the road is closed due to an accident or brushfire because there are not any viable alternative routes. Kahekili Hwy around the north end with the hazardous narrow section through Kahakuloa is not a good alternative & have read they’ll only allow residents to use it when the road from West Maui is closed.

 

The majority of cruise ship passengers won’t experience that problem but it’s something to be aware about when deciding what each person decides to do. I know that closures have resulted in passengers missing flights.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

None of these changes will help when the road is closed due to an accident or brushfire because there are not any viable alternative routes. Kahekili Hwy around the north end with the hazardous narrow section through Kahakuloa is not a good alternative & have read they’ll only allow residents to use it when the road from West Maui is closed.

 

Thanks Astro Flyer for the info...the absence of a viable option is indeed disconcerting. Will need to ponder a bit more about this...thanks again!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The latest example of a road closure isolating the West Maui area.

 

Overnight, fire crews responded to a quick moving brush fire in West Maui that has since grown to 300 acres. Maui Communications Director Rod Antone says it’s unclear at this time if it is storm related. One female was flown to Oʻahu for treatment of burns to her hands and legs. There’s also property damage, but authorities do not know at this time to what extent. The County also advises motorists that in addition to the Honoapiʻilani Hwy closure (from Māʻalaea to Shaw Street in Lahaina), the Kahekili Highway is now completely closed from Nākālele to Waiheʻe“.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The latest example of a road closure isolating the West Maui area.

 

Overnight, fire crews responded to a quick moving brush fire in West Maui that has since grown to 300 acres. Maui Communications Director Rod Antone says it’s unclear at this time if it is storm related. One female was flown to Oʻahu for treatment of burns to her hands and legs. There’s also property damage, but authorities do not know at this time to what extent. The County also advises motorists that in addition to the Honoapiʻilani Hwy closure (from Māʻalaea to Shaw Street in Lahaina), the Kahekili Highway is now completely closed from Nākālele to Waiheʻe“.

 

Thanks Astro Flyer...stay safe and hopefully Hurricane Lane doesn't impact you folks too much.

 

Choking off Honoapi'ilani Hwy and Kahekili Hwy in this manner does indeed mean that we would be stuck, let's say, in Kapalua for sure...:eek:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks Astro Flyer...stay safe and hopefully Hurricane Lane doesn't impact you folks too much.

 

Choking off Honoapi'ilani Hwy and Kahekili Hwy in this manner does indeed mean that we would be stuck, let's say, in Kapalua for sure...:eek:

We’re cautiously optimistic about the forecast. :)

 

A second separate brushfire broke out within the past hour in the Ka’anapali. The Lahaina fire resulted in moving people from one emergency shelter to one in Ka’anapali...hopefully they don’t need to be relocated again. :(

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We’re cautiously optimistic about the forecast. :)

 

A second separate brushfire broke out within the past hour in the Ka’anapali. The Lahaina fire resulted in moving people from one emergency shelter to one in Ka’anapali...hopefully they don’t need to be relocated again. :(

 

Yes...let's hope it makes a turn to the West instead of moving further North....

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now
 Share

  • Forum Jump
    • Categories
      • Welcome to Cruise Critic
      • New Cruisers
      • Cruise Lines “A – O”
      • Cruise Lines “P – Z”
      • River Cruising
      • ROLL CALLS
      • Digital Photography & Cruise Technology
      • Special Interest Cruising
      • Cruise Discussion Topics
      • UK Cruising
      • Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
      • Canadian Cruisers
      • North American Homeports
      • Ports of Call
      • Cruise Conversations
×
×
  • Create New...