A Historic Leap Forward: County Council Approves $2.5M for Waikoloa's Second Road
In a landmark decision marking the most significant progress in over 17 years, the Hawaii County Council voted 7-1 to approve a $2.5 million funding amendment for the initial design and engineering of Waikoloa's second arterial road.
A milestone in safety
This is not the finish line, but it is a monumental first step.
For the first time, a government body has officially allocated funds to transform this long-promised, "very high priority" project from a concept on paper into a tangible plan for construction. This historic vote is a direct result of the powerful, unified voice of the Waikoloa community.
A Victory For Community Advocacy
This funding would not have been possible without overwhelming community support. When the issue was heard, 84 letters of testimony were submitted, and 6 community members provided live testimony, sending an undeniable message to the Council about the critical need for this life-saving infrastructure.
The overwhelming 7-1 vote demonstrates that our persistent advocacy is working. We extend our deepest mahalo to every single person who wrote a letter, made a call, or showed up to testify. You made this happen.
What Happens Next?
While we celebrate this crucial victory, the process is not yet complete. The journey ahead is:
June 5: The final budget vote, where we are confident this funding will remain intact based on the strong support shown.
June 30: Official budget adoption.
This funding will enable the critical first phase of work: the engineering and environmental reviews needed to determine the final alignment and create a concrete cost estimate for construction. This is the essential groundwork that must be completed before any shovels can hit the dirt.
We also extend a special thank you to Council Member James Hustace for listening to our community and championing this vital amendment.
This victory proves that when our community speaks with one voice, we can move mountains. Let's keep the momentum going. The hard work continues, but today, we celebrate this historic leap forward for Waikoloa's safety.
