We Have Formally Asked the Mayor to Act on Waikōloa Village’s Second Road
On January 29, 2026, Wildfire Safety Advocates formally submitted a letter to Mayor Kimo Alameda urging immediate action to advance the urgently needed second arterial access road for Waikōloa Village.
The letter was accompanied by approximately 50 signatures from community members, reflecting broad concern and shared urgency around wildfire evacuation safety and first-responder access in our Village.
County plans dating back to 2008 identify a second road connecting Waikōloa Village to Queen Kaʻahumanu Highway as a “very high priority” project, explicitly tied to wildfire evacuation and first-responder access. Yet nearly two decades later, that road still does not exist.
Recent wildfire events across Hawaiʻi, most tragically in Lahaina, have shown what happens when communities lack safe, adequate roadway infrastructure. Waikōloa Village continues to grow, with thousands of new residents already approved or under construction at the north end of the community, increasing the number of people who could be placed at risk during a fast-moving fire.
We know, and the community knows, that further delay is unacceptable.
What We Asked the Mayor to Do
In our January 29 letter, we asked the Mayor to honor County commitments by taking two specific actions:
Work with HDOT to complete the design work already funded in the 2025 Capital Improvement Project (CIP) Budget to upgrade the emergency access right-of-way connecting Paniolo Drive to Queen Kaʻahumanu Highway into a permanent arterial road, as adopted in County plans since 2008.
Include in the 2026 CIP Budget a clear schedule of investments needed to complete construction of a permanent, two-lane road that can be safely opened to traffic no later than 2029.
We also invited the Mayor or a representative from his administration to attend a public meeting in Waikōloa Village before finalizing the 2026 CIP budget, so the community can hear directly how the County intends to move a Waikōloa Second Road project forward.
Additional Background and Planning History
For those who want a deeper understanding of how long this project has been planned—and repeatedly deferred—we are also sharing a companion document that outlines the history of County planning decisions, wildfire risk findings, and Capital Improvement Program (CIP) actions related to the second road.
This document provides helpful context for why the community continues to press for action now.
[Link: Planning History & CIP Background – Second Road]
Wildfire risk in Waikōloa Village is real, documented, and increasing. Clear commitments exist in adopted County plans. Funding for initial design work has already been approved in the 2025-2026 County Budget. What is needed now is follow-through, coordination, and transparency.
What Can You Do?
If you share our concern about wildfire safety and evacuation access in Waikōloa Village, here are meaningful ways to stay engaged:
Attend our monthly community meetings to stay informed and hear updates directly
Stay engaged on this issue by following our communications and sharing verified information
Email the Mayor or County officials at any time to express your concern that there has been no action to advance a second road despite long-standing commitments
Support our advocacy work with a donation, which helps us continue research, outreach, and government engagement on wildfire safety
Mahalo for staying informed and engaged.
