Three raised crosswalks are coming to Hanalei.
The Hawai‘i Department of Transportation will install the crosswalks fronting Hanalei Elementary School, Waioli Church and near Mālolo Road on Kūhiō Highway. Each raised crosswalk will be paired with Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons, which are pedestrian-activated and generate a flashing light to alert motorists that someone is waiting to cross, according to a news release from the state department.
The work, which will take place from 8 p.m. on July 5 to 5 a.m. on July 6, will require a single-lane closure on either side of the highway. Alternating traffic will be routed through the open lane.
Installing these raised crosswalks will physically remind drivers to maintain the 25-mph speed limit through Hanalei town.
The Hanalei School and Waioli Church crossings currently have beacons installed, and these will remain in place as the crossings are converted to raised crosswalks. The beacons for the raised crosswalk near Mālolo Road will be installed when the unit arrives on the island.
The Hawai‘i Department of Transportation initially proposed multiple vertical deflections like, speed humps and raised crosswalks as a traffic-calming strategy for Kūhiō Highway in Hanalei as part of a community meeting on June 8, 2022.
Based on the community feedback, the state reduced the total number of vertical deflections from eight to five, including these new locations.
