The barricade at Lelekea bridge is pictured. MAUI COUNTY photo

The Maui News

Maui County will hold three community meetings this weekend for residents and businesses impacted by the emergency road closure at the Alelele Point area in East Maui.

The meetings will be held at:

• Kalena Triangle in Kipahulu, 10 to 11:30 a.m. Saturday.

• Wananalua Church hall in Hana, 1 to 2:30 p.m. Saturday.

• Kaupo School, 10 to 11:30 a.m. Sunday.

A one-mile portion of Hana Highway from Alelele to Lelekea bridges has been closed since May 10 after rockfalls near Alelele Point caused vehicle damages and blocked the roadway.

Roughly 1,500 tons of rock debris will need to be removed, a consultant said last week following an assessment of the area. The county will select a contractor today. Rock scaling is estimated to start June 5 and last about three weeks. The initial emergency cliffside stabilization work will cost approximately $900,000, according to the county.

The remote, narrow roadway connects the rural areas of Kipahulu and Kaupo. If drivers approach the barricade closure from either Hana/Kipahulu or from Kaupo/Kanaio, they must turn around and go back the way they came. Haleakala National Park’s Kipahulu District remains accessible through Hana.

Visitors are encouraged to avoid individual trips and instead use group tours to help mitigate increased traffic congestion, the county said.

Residents are asked to report impacts of the closure through the county Maui Emergency Management Agency online form to help determine the extent of impact and identify people in need of assistance. The form can be found by visiting mauicounty.gov/70/Emergency-Management-Agency and clicking on “Hana Highway Closure at Alelele Point.”

For information on the community meetings, call the Mayor’s Office at (808) 270-7855.