Drivers cruising along the Hawaiʻi Belt Road should prepare for a downshift in speed limits as the Hawaiʻi Department of Transportation (HDOT) has announced cuts in legal travel speeds across four segments of Route 19. According to a news release from HDOT, stretches of road near residential zones, pedestrian-heavy areas, and a particularly dangerous intersection are set for these new regulations.
In Pepeʻekeo, the current 55 mph limit will be dialed back to 45 mph between mile markers 9.2 and 9.5, as well as between markers 40.9 and 41.9 in Honokaʻa. These areas include the vicinity of Old ʻOnomea Road, Kulaʻimano Homestead Road, Māmane Street, and Kahawailiʻiliʻi Stream Bridge, where the community sees higher foot traffic and potential risks that warrant a slower drive. HDOT points to these reductions as an effort to provide a manageable, safe, and consistent speed for these sections of Hawaiʻi Belt Road.
A sharper reduction will be experienced between mile markers 6.3 and 6.7, near Kapue Bridge and Kōpilimai Road, and markers 9.6 and 10.9 alongside Kulaʻimano Homestead Road and Sugar Mill Road, where the speed limits will drop from 45 mph to 35 mph. Commuters should keep an eye out for new speed limit signs, poised to change 30 days from the issuance of the HDOT's news release, with enforcement kicking in once installation is complete.
HDOT’s plan goes beyond changing speed limit signs. The department will add traffic-calming measures, like roundabouts and raised crosswalks, to reduce serious injuries and fatalities on state roads. HDOT says these changes “can reduce serious traffic injuries and fatalities while ensuring an efficient system.” These improvements aim to make the Hawaiʻi Belt Road safer while keeping traffic moving efficiently.
