Issue Position: Infrastructure

Issue Position

McKelvey says the most pressing issue facing our district is infrastructure, especially traffic-related infrastructure. Traffic on the West Side is not only strangling one of the top generators of revenue for the state, but the spill-over effect has detrimentally impacted people from Kihei and other parts of the island as well. To be specific, it includes lack of alternate network of roads, failure to complete erosion of the Honoapi'ilani Highway near Ukemehame, the inability to utilize the existing cane haul roads in case of emergency and, as was recently proven, the inability of the state to keep to the time line for the Keawe Street--Ikena Street portion of the Lahaina Bypass.

As for North Kihei, we need to try and push for the building of the Upcountry-Kihei connector road.

Other pressing issues include the lack of 24/7 acute care/emergency hospital (and a separate long-term bed care facility) on the West Side as well as the immediate need for air conditioners at Lahaina area schools and bleachers at Lahainaluna High School, (not to mention finishing the a locker room). Along those lines, West Maui needs new elementary schools.

Another big issue which directly affects traffic is the lack of true affordable housing or rentals with dignity. In addition, there is an immediate need to repair the electrical and lighting at Lahaina Harbor and to dredge Mala Wharf, as well as a need to ensure that federal funds intended to Lahaina and Ma'alaea get there as intended.

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