Traffic signal work to close Puʻunēnē Avenue at night

KAHULUI, Hawaiʻi – The Hawaiʻi Department of Transportation (HDOT) is advising highway users that there will be an overnight closure of Puʻunēnē Avenue (Route 3500) next week, from 8:30 p.m. to 4:30 a.m. to install new traffic signals.

Puʻunēnē Avenue will be closed from Wākea Avenue to Kūihelani Highway nightly beginning at 8:30 p.m. Monday, Feb. 2, with the last closure reopening at 4:30 a.m., Friday, Feb. 6.

During the work, those wanting to travel to Kahului from Maui Veterans Highway (Route 311) will need to detour by making a right turn heading east onto Mayor Elmer F. Cravalho Way (Route 3800), then turn left onto Dairy Road, as there will be a roadblock at the Maui Veterans Highway and Puʻunēnē Avenue intersection.

Those wanting to travel to Wailuku from Maui Veterans Highway may turn left and head west onto Kūihelani Highway. Maui Lani Parkway off of Kūihelani Highway will take highway users into Wailuku and will offer another route to Kahului.

Construction barriers will be established at the right turn onto Puʻunēnē Avenue from Mayor Elmer F. Cravalho Way, as well as at the left-turn lane heading onto Puʻunēnē Avenue from Kūihelani Highway, to enable the work to proceed safely. Additionally, there will be no right turns from West Papa Avenue onto Puʻunēnē Avenue; and no left turns from East Papa Avenue onto Puʻunēnē Avenue. Those needing access to Puʻukani Street may use Hukilike Street.

See: https://hidot.hawaii.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Detour-Plan-Full-Closure.pdf for details on residential access for those living on streets adjacent to Puʻunēnē Avenue. Workers will be in place to help direct motorists throughout the overnight closure.

There will be additional night closures on Puʻunēnē Avenue during the week of Feb. 9 through Feb. 13. The schedule for that work is dependent on the progress for this upcoming week and will be announced as it is confirmed.

The work is part of the Puʻunēnē Avenue improvements project, which is designed to help improve traffic flow and enhance vehicle and freight circulation with the addition of more lanes and updated traffic signalization, on one of central Maui’s main thoroughfares.

All work is weather permitting. For construction schedule updates or changes, see HDOT’s social media pages on https://www.facebook.com/HawaiiDepartmentOfTransportation and on Twitter/X @DOTHawaii.

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