Six-year-long highway project almost done

Where the newly widened Mokulele Highway curves into the Piilani Highway, a new junction with North Kihei Road was constructed with a traffic signal to allow turns onto Kihei Road.

The Mokulele-Piilani connection is the fifth and final phase of the $87 million highway widening that will be blessed and opened Tuesday, according to state highways officials.

Phase 1A on the Kahului end was initiated in July 2002 for a project initially estimated at $80 million.

The third phase, from the Maui Humane Society to the vicinity of Maui Raceway Park, was delayed by a historic preservation requirement but is also completed and will be opened Tuesday.

The project expanded the narrow two-lane roadway to a four-lane divided highway, with a separate bicycle lane running parallel with the 6-mile highway.

A massive section of new pavement forms the junction of North Kihei Road with Mokulele and Piilani highways.