Temporary changes at Līhue Airport for passenger pickup and walkway use

At Līhu‘e Airport on Kauaʻi, the Hawai‘i Department of Transportation has made temporary modifications to passenger pickup locations, as well as temporary vehicle and pedestrian walkway detours due to construction related to the $10.2 million employee parking lot improvement project.

From Feb. 18 through approximately June 15, the passenger pickup area fronting Baggage Claim A will be closed to private vehicles, ground transportation shuttles, taxis and rideshares. Passengers may be picked up at the Baggage Claim B pickup areas.

Once the work in this area is completed, the pickup area fronting Baggage Claim B will be closed, and all passenger pickups will be diverted to the Baggage Claim A pickup area.

The construction fronting each baggage claim area will include replacing asphalt pavement, curbing, lane markings, signage and Americans with Disabilities Act enhancements. Each phase will take approximately four months to complete.

Starting Monday, Feb. 23 through July 31, temporary vehicle and pedestrian detours will be implemented along Mokulele Loop and Ahukini Road. A portion of Mokulele Loop connecting to Ahukini Road will be closed. Traffic will be detoured to Ahukini Road via the Mokulele Loop airport exit.

A temporary pedestrian walkway will be installed using barricades along Mokulele Loop and Ahukini Road. The walkway will safely accommodate northbound and southbound foot traffic between the main terminal and cargo and commuter terminals.

Motorists and pedestrians should exercise caution around the construction zones.

The $10.2 million project involves upgrading an existing employee overflow gravel lot located northeast of the main terminal building with asphalt concrete paving, marked parking stalls, lighting, access control, security cameras, drainage and other related improvements.

When completed, the 2.3-acre paved lot will accommodate up to 347 employee vehicles, an increase of approximately 117 stalls.

Parking at Līhu‘e Airport is limited for both the traveling public and airport employees. The public lot has 578 stalls. The main employee parking lot has 333 stalls, but availability varies during peak travel periods when a portion of the employee stalls are made available to the public, forcing employees to park in the overflow gravel lot.

When work on the overflow employee lot is completed, the increased capacity will provide parking officials with more flexibility to use some of the stalls in the main employee lot for the public during peak travel periods.

Additional information about the employee parking lot improvement project can be found here.