Drivers on Mamalahoa Highway between Honaunau Elementary School and Captain Cook Village Road will need to slow down starting June 9. The Hawaiʻi Department of Transportation is lowering the speed limit from 45 mph to 35 mph in this area (between mile markers 106.5 and 109.0). The change comes after several serious and fatal crashes, with the goal of making the road safer for everyone.
Several accidents and near misses, one of which tragically resulted in a death over the past five years, underscored the need for alteration of an speed limit. New signage will soon reflect the reduced speed limit, which falls in line with the surrounding areas—35 mph before mile post 106.5 and 30 mph after mile post 109.0. The move is intended to create a consistent speed limit through this corridor lined with homes, schools, and businesses, as reported by the Hawaiʻi Department of Transportation.
Hawaiʻi Department of Transportation's strategy serves a dual purpose; curbing the number of serious accidents while still facilitating efficient travel. Their measures often include infrastructure adjustments such as roundabouts and raised pedestrian crosswalks, and the department's efforts have been fruitful, historically leading to a decrease in severe injuries and fatalities on state roads. The Hawaiʻi Department of Transportation announcement highlighted that "the proposed speed limit change will provide a manageable, safe, consistent and enforceable speed."
This isn’t the first time the Hawaiʻi Department of Transportation has acted to improve road safety. They regularly review crash reports and listen to community concerns to make needed changes. With new speed limit signs going up soon, drivers on this part of Mamalahoa Highway should get ready to slow down. It’s part of a larger effort across Hawaiʻi to better manage speeds and keep roads safer for everyone.
