Gov. Neil Abercrombie on Friday released more than $92.8 million for capital improvement projects across the state, including $6 million for the design of a proposed two-story consolidated rental car facility near Kahului Airport.
The structure will house all of the car rental agencies in one building on airport property, according to Department of Transportation spokeswoman Caroline Sluyter.
She added that the exact location of the facility has not been decided, but one option under consideration is about a quarter mile east of Costco on the makai side of Haleakala Highway.
"Once completed, the new car rental facility will help improve traffic flow and will be more convenient for those renting and returning vehicles at the airport," Sluyter said in an email Friday afternoon.
The facility will be able to hold 1,500 to 2,000 rental cars, said Marvin Moniz, DOT Maui District airports manager. Customers from all rental car companies will be shuttled together to and from the airport to the facility, similar to what is done in Mainland airports, Moniz said.
Construction is tentatively scheduled to begin in late 2013, Sluyter said. The rental car facility is part of a larger project that includes a new airport access road.
Abercrombie also released $3.5 million to acquire land adjacent to Kahului Airport "to prevent incompatible future developments that could compromise future airport and aircraft operations," according to a news release. Information about this project was not available Friday afternoon, Sluyter said.
Abercrombie also released $5.5 million for design and construction involving emergency erosion repairs along Honoapiilani Highway in Launiupoko. According to the state, the soil foundation under and adjacent to a section of Honoapiilani Highway sustained significant damage from waves and heavy rains.
In June, Abercrombie signed an emergency proclamation to authorize the use of state funds to expedite stabilization of the erosion-damaged highway. The project is expected to be completed in a year.
Sluyter said that when crews noticed damage to the highway in May, concrete barriers were immediately put in place for safety reasons. After further assessment, crews were able to move the road mauka to keep both lanes open and flowing.
Sluyter said the DOT is going through the permitting process now and will start work as soon as the permits are finalized.
Some of the other Maui County CIP projects Abercrombie released funds for follow:
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Highways
* Kamehameha V Highway, Molokai; $2.4 million; design and construction funds for drainage improvements on the highway between Mohala Street and Oki Place.
* Kaahumanu Avenue, $907,000; design and construction funds to extend a right turn lane on Kaahumanu Avenue.
* Kamehameha V, Maunaloa and Kalae highways, Molokai, $109,935 state funds and $438,940 federal funds; guardrail and shoulder improvements.
* Haleakala Crater Road, $36,700 state funds and $146,800 federal funds; to construct four paved bicycle pullout areas to increase safety for bicyclists and motorists traveling to and from Haleakala National Park.
* Kekaulike Avenue, $20,000; additional design funds for increased drainage capacity by installing an underground drainage system along the mauka shoulder.
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Airports
* Lanai Airport, $4.9 million state funds and $25.8 million federal grant; construction funds for improvements to the runway safety area to bring it up to Federal Aviation Administration certification requirements.
* Kapalua Airport, $700,000; construction funds for a two-bay garage and storage structure as an addition to the existing aircraft rescue and firefighting station.
* Kahului Airport, $500,000; design funds for project management support of capital improvement projects at the airport
* Kahului Airport, $305,000 state funds and $1 million federal grant; design funds to renovate restrooms, to add air conditioning and to update lighting and sanitation systems.
* Lanai Airport, $113,000; construction funds to realign and update lighting for Runway 3 and the terminal apron to meet FAA requirements.
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Harbors
* Kahului Harbor, $500,000; design and construction for replacement of about 1,800 linear feet of bull rails at Pier 1.
* Kahului Harbor, $400,000; planning funds for preliminary engineering and property surveys.
For the entire list of CIP projects that the governor released funds for, go to the website hawaii.gov/gov.
* Melissa Tanji can be reached at mtanji@mauinews.com.
