Kihei High School’s big dig: Construction work, no schoolwork yet, at new Kihei campus

Pedestrian crossing may set back target 2021-22 opening

As the public school year begins next week, work continues on the long-awaited Kihei high school, which is still on track to open for the 2021-22 school year.

Education officials caution, however, that if an overpass or underpass pedestrian crossing for Piilani Highway is required, the opening could be pushed back.

"The Phase 1 and Phase 2 (construction) project schedules remain valid for a 2021-22 school year opening. However, the impact of a grade separated pedestrian crossing, if required for school opening, will move the opening of the school beyond 2022," said John Chung, public works administrator for the state Department of Education's Facilities Development Branch.

Chung said in an email that the underpass or overpass must be compliant with state Land Use Commission and Maui County conditions and designed and built to state Department of Transportation requirements.

In April, the commission voted to reaffirm a 2013 decision calling for a pedestrian overpass or underpass to be completed before the opening of the school, which is being built on 77 acres mauka of the intersection of Piilani Highway and Kulanihakoi Street.

The Education Department had planned to install only a traffic signal at the busy intersection, pointing to studies that showed current conditions warrant only a signalized intersection.

But members of the LUC and the community expressed concern over the safety of students crossing the four-lane highway.

The commission can't force the DOE to do anything because work already is ongoing, but the April vote gave guidance to the county, which does have enforcement power.

Planning Director Michele McLean has said that if the DOE opens the school without an overpass or underpass it would be in violation of the LUC's condition and county zoning and the DOE would be cited for those violations.

Chung said earlier this week that discussions were ongoing with stakeholders and other government agencies on what type of crossing would be built.

Meanwhile, Phase 1 infrastructure work for the new school is progressing and is causing some traffic issues.

New infrastructure work will cause lane modifications and lower traffic speeds along Piilani Highway from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday to Friday through August, weather permitting.

The state Department of Transportation said both directions between Kaonoulu Street and East Waipuilani Road will be affected.

During work hours, Piilani Highway will be reduced to one lane in each direction and the speed limit through the work zone will be reduced to 30 mph. Drivers are advised to use caution because southbound traffic will be routed through a northbound lane through the work zone.

Workers will be trenching across the road for the installation of electrical and other underground utilities to support the new school, the Transportation Department said.

Motorists are reminded that Kulanihakoi Street from Piilani Highway to Mahealani Street remains closed in both directions, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, for installation of underground utilities for the school. Motorists are advised to take Kaonoulu Street or East Waipuilani Road then South Kihei Road as an alternate route.

Chung said that efforts to accelerate the work at the Kulanihakoi Street intersection are ongoing. He anticipates the intersection reopening by Aug. 31, barring any weather impacts.

The road has been closed since February and the project originally was expected to be completed in April. Later, a public notice said that the road would be closed until July 31. The delays were caused by geological and other conditions as the contractor performed horizontal drilling for underground utilities, the notice said.

The work on the highways is part of Phase 1, which Chung says is scheduled to be completed in February. The total cost for the first phase is about $29 million.

Development and grading were more than 80 percent complete at the end of July. The school site, which was once scrub brush, is mostly graded and stabilized from erosion by grassing or with rock, Chung added.

On-site utilities, including fire protection, water, sewer, power, phone and data conduits, are about 85 percent installed. Fencing is complete, except at Piilani Highway.

Brackish irrigation wells have been completed, tested and are operating with a capacity of 350 gallons per minute per well, Chung said.

Vertical construction will be part of Phase 2, with bids coming in around $100 million, Chung said. There currently is a contractor bid protest to be resolved.

Phase 2 includes the administration building, classroom buildings, library/cafeteria, basketball court and play field.

Plans call for accommodating the school's first 400 students when Phase 2 is completed.

Future phases, dependent on funding, call for elective buildings, a gym, basketball courts, football field and track, additional classroom buildings and sports fields.

When finally open, the school will help alleviate overcrowding, specifically at Maui High School, which currently takes students from South Maui. Projected enrollment for the coming school year was not available Friday, but last year's total enrollment at Maui High was 2,017 students, up from 1,950 the previous year.

Last school year was the first time Maui High exceeded the 2,000 enrollment mark since moving to Kahului in the early 1970s. Maui High is the fifth-largest high school by enrollment in the state.

Kathleen Dimino, superintendent for the Baldwin-Kekaulike-Maui complex, said she will be requesting to post the principal position for the new school around June 2020, as long as the project timeline holds.

"Once a principal is appointed, work will begin on the school design process in regards to the vision, mission, staffing and curriculum design," Dimino said in an email. "The community will be engaged and asked for input along the way."

* Melissa Tanji can be reached at mtanji@mauinews.com.