Nearly three years after the Maui wildfires, Lahaina's famed Front Street will reopen to vehicular traffic on Aug. 1, Maui County announced Friday.
The move to open the roadway comes following the completion of a number of improvement projects. Repairs and rebuilding in the area have been ongoing since wildfires driven by high winds struck on Aug. 8, 2023, including a blaze that destroyed much of Lahaina Town and killed more than 100 people.
According to the July 17 announcement, work includes the removal of wildfire debris and offshore pilings; repairs to the seawall and sidewalk; installation of new railings and the planting of trees along the makai side of the street; new fencing along the mauka side of the street and around off-limit areas; and road paving and striping.
“For so many, this milestone brings a mix of emotions, but above all, it represents another important step in Lahaina’s healing journey,” Maui Mayor Richard Bissen said in the announcement. “The reopening of Front Street marks the return of commercial activity to the heart of our town, with ʻUlu o Lele Marketplace, the iconic Kimo’s restaurant and more than a dozen other businesses moving forward as part of Lahaina’s recovery. While there is still much work ahead, this is a pivotal step that reflects the steady progress our community has made together.”
County officials had told Aloha State Daily earlier this month that they aimed to open Front Street to through traffic before the Aug. 8 anniversary of the fires. Office of Recovery Administrator John Smith told ASD then that the area is a "kuleana in progress place."
"We will continue to have construction and limited road closures based on all of the work that's going down there," he said at that time. "But we just finished the railing project, we just finished a paving project on Front Street, and it's just really good timing. So when the [homecoming] festivities are over and after everything's cleaned up, it's going to be the right time to allow traffic on Front Street."
The county said in the announcement it had reached out to area property owners ahead of the reopening to notify them of the projected reopening date.
Residents, meanwhile, had a chance to walk along the newly repaved road and improved sidewalk during a July 1 blessing for the Front Street railings and sidewalk project, the county noted. The recent Lahaina Homecoming also served as a chance for community to reconnect with the area before Front Street reopened to the public.
According to the county, Front Street currently is closed from Pāpalaua to Dickenson streets, while the section from Dickenson to Shaw streets has restricted access from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. to facilitate operations at Lahaina Small Boat Harbor.
Beginning Aug. 1, Pāpalaua to Shaw will reopen to vehicular traffic, with no regularly restricted hours. In addition, Dickenson and Prison streets will be reopened.
The county notes, however, that Market Street, Papelekane Street and Mokuhinia Place will remain closed due to ongoing work, including the state’s dredging of Lahaina Harbor.
"While reopening Front Street is an important step forward in Lahaina’s recovery, rebuilding throughout the commercial district will continue as homes, businesses and infrastructure are restored," Maui County stated in the announcement. "As reconstruction progresses, temporary road closures may still be necessary, which is typical for construction and infrastructure improvement projects around the County. For safety reasons, the public is encouraged to stay off private property and out of fenced-off areas."
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Stephanie Salmons can be reached at stephanie@alohastatedaily.com.
