Community Invited to Shape New Evacuation Traffic Study for Waikōloa Village Safety
The Wildfire Safety Advocates strongly encourage community participation in the upcoming Waikōloa Village Evacuation Traffic Study public meeting, hosted by the County of Hawaiʻi on Friday, January 9, from 5:00–7:00 p.m. at the Waikōloa Village Association Golf Banquet Room.
This federally funded study represents an important and long-overdue opportunity for residents to help shape how our community prepares for emergencies, particularly wildfire evacuations, in one of the most fire-vulnerable areas in the state.
Why This Study Matters
Many Waikōloa residents understandably feel frustrated. For decades, Waikōloa Village has lived with extreme wildfire risk, a single primary access road, and a long history of deferred infrastructure decisions. While studies alone do not build roads, this is the first time Waikōloa Village will have a comprehensive, village-wide evacuation traffic analysis conducted by subject-matter experts.
Until now:
No cumulative evacuation traffic study has ever been completed for the entire village
Emergency planning has relied on outdated assumptions and decades-old environmental reviews
Growth has continued without a modern assessment of evacuation capacity
This study changes that, but only if the community shows up and makes its voice heard.
What the Study Will Examine
The evacuation traffic study, conducted by KLD Associates under contract with Hawaiʻi County Civil Defense, will analyze:
The existing street network throughout Waikōloa Village
Primary evacuation routes, including Waikōloa Road
The Hulu Street emergency route
Expected impacts of future population growth
Bottlenecks, timing, and risks during emergency evacuations
Equally important, the study will incorporate public input — local knowledge that no consultant can replicate without residents’ participation.
This Is Not “Instead of” a Second Road
We want to be very clear:
The long-term solution for Waikōloa Village safety is a true second, fully functional road open to the public 24/7.
This evacuation study does not replace that need; it strengthens the case for it.
A well-documented, professionally prepared evacuation analysis can:
Quantify the risks that residents have raised for years
Identify life-safety gaps in current infrastructure
Provide formal evidence to support future funding, permitting, and construction decisions
Increase accountability by putting facts on the record
In short, this study can become a powerful tool; if the community helps shape it.
Details for the Public Meeting
Date: Friday, January 9, 2026
Time: 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM
Location: Waikōloa Village Association Banquet Room
68-1792 Melia Street, Waikōloa, HI 96738
The meeting is open to all residents and will include opportunities to ask questions, share concerns, and provide input that will directly inform the study.
