Maui’s Lahainaluna Road is now open to unrestricted public access for the first time since last year’s fires.
Officials say it marks a milestone in the recovery process, with debris removal in the area fully completed.
After concerns about the safety and structural integrity of the Pioneer Mill Smokestack, a fall zone was established around it last month while evaluations were completed.
This safety measure led to the barricading of portions of Lahainaluna Road and Mill Street to restrict access through those points. A security checkpoint was also relocated to Lahainaluna and Kuhua streets to monitor the fall zone and facilitate access if evacuation became necessary.
Rigorous structural engineering tests are complete, and now it has been declared structurally sound. All road closures and barricades in the surrounding area were removed last week.
Maui County has also completed resurfacing and sign replacement on Lahainaluna Road.
“We are pleased to inform the community that these critical recovery milestones have been achieved,” said Mayor Richard Bissen in a press release. “With debris operations in the area completed and Lahainaluna Road to be fully accessible, we are one step closer to returning to normalcy. Mahalo to our Public Works employees for their diligence in conducting engineering studies to ensure the community’s safety.”
The county urged continued caution from drivers in the area as traffic patterns shift.
