Hawaii Highways - Big Island route list (part 3)

TABLE 3

Click here for zoomable Google road map of the Big Island
(consult route list below for updated and detailed route information)

The Big Island route list is in three tables:

Table 1 (first page) covers the current "Hawaii Belt" routes (routes 11, 19, and 190)

Table 2 (preceding page) covers other routes (including old routes, some of which used to be part of the Hawaii Belt), numbered below 200

Table 3 (below) covers all other routes (numbered routes 200 and above, and unnumbered highways)

. State route; County route; Former route; Other unnumbered route
(Actual county route shields are usually identical to state shields; see the FAQs for how routes are classified in the listings below.
Also, in many browsers letting your mouse linger over a route number graphic will help you decipher it.)

Former route (no longer in numbered state or county system)

Future route

National park route

Routes are generally listed in numerical order, with some exceptions to group portions of the same road with different names and/or numbers. For lists ordered differently (alphabetical by name, or by former route number):

Name cross-index · Former route cross-index

Big Island (table 3)
Route	Name	Termini/misc road info	Mileage
County (part)	Waianuenue Avenue (part)	JN Bayfront Highway at Kamehameha Avenue (see Table 2) in Hilo, west to JN Kaumana Drive Waianuenue Avenue; milemarked as part of route 200, but no route shields; part of former route 20	1.2 miles
County (part)	Kaumana Drive	JN Waianuenue Avenue in Hilo, west to JN Saddle Road, at unsigned Hilo urban area boundary between Nolemana Street and Ua Nahale Street intersections; milemarked as part of route 200, but no route shields; part of former route 20	~ 6.6 miles
		Mostly narrow and winding, sometimes with drop-offs into open drainage ditches; once colorfully described as having been "laid out at the turn of the [20th] century ... for horse carts going 5 mph."
		See note in Puainako Street listing below (after Saddle Road/Daniel K. Inouye Highway listing) on new bypass of Waianuenue Avenue, and most of Kaumana Drive.
	Saddle Road (most also known as Daniel K. Inouye Highway)	JN Kaumana Drive, at unsigned Hilo urban area boundary between Nolemana Street and Ua Nahale Street intersections near mile 8 (1.7 miles west of new Puainako Street southern bypass of downtown Hilo), west to JN Mamalahoa Highway between Kailua-Kona and Waimea; state's highest through road, topping out at 6632 feet elevation at the Humuula Saddle; newest stretches west of mile 11 are state-maintained, but east end of highway between mile 8 and mile 11 remains under county jurisdiction even though included in state highway system; built as gravel road during World War II to provide access to the Army's Pohakuloa Training Area, and also as evacuation route in case of Japanese attack on the Big Island; paved in 1949; state rerouted in 2013 west of around mile 41.5 to a more southerly alignment to Mamalahoa Highway; before then, highway was rerouted north of the Army base, in two stages, between mile 28 and mile 42 (May 2007 between mile 28 and mile 35, remainder in August 2009), and was improved and slightly realigned mostly within the old right of way between mile 11 and mile 28 from 2008 to 2011; state plans to eventually extend highway west to coast at Queen Kaahumanu Highway (projected completion in 2019, subject to environmental reviews); current plans also include realigning, improving and bringing under state maintenance the rest of Saddle Road between mile 11 and Puainako Street at Country Club Road (right of way acquisition for this project was still in progress in late 2013); all of old road before realignments part of former route 20; Saddle Road was renamed Ala Mauna Saddle Road in 2007 ("ala mauna" means "trail to the mountains"); part west of mile 11 again renamed as the Daniel K. Inouye Highway, for the late U.S. senator, in 2013; however, aside from DKI Highway signs at mile 11 westbound and mile 51 eastbound, all signs showing the highway name, including new signs on Mamalahoa Highway, refer to "Saddle Road"	~44.8 miles
	Saddle Road (most also known as Daniel K. Inouye Highway)	Wavy and narrow but smooth old pavement from mile 8 west to mile 11. New roadway west of mile 11, with smooth pavement and wide shoulders, and some of it posted at 55mph. Traffic on some of western part of route may be disrupted on occasion (early mornings only) by oversized trucks delivering heavy equipment to the observatories atop Mauna Kea. Parts of the road often get fogged in, as warm moist air rising upslope from the coast meets cool air rolling downslope from Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa. No travel services, and cellphone service is uncertain (though there are emergency call boxes along parts of the highway). Nearest travel services in Hilo to the east, and Waimea or Kailua-Kona to the west. Most rental car companies once specifcally prohibited driving their vehicles on Saddle Road, perhaps the only paved state highway in the United States open to motor vehicles but off-limits to most rental cars. However, those restrictions seem to have faded away as the highway has been improved. Check your rental car contract, just in case.
	Photos (most of old road)	See (Ala Mauna) Saddle Road photos page for photos and additional information, including a parallel military truck/tank road. Parts of the old Saddle Road within the Army base are now called "Lightning Trail", and are closed to the general public. Another old Saddle Road segment, west of mile 42, was technically also route 201 at some point before it was bypassed in September 2013. That segment remains open to the public, but has no route number signage (except some stray old route 200 milemarkers), and whether the route 201 designation continued after the segment was removed from the state highway system is unknown.
Former (part)	Old Saddle Road	JN Saddle Road near mile 42, west to JN Mamalahoa Highway; still open to public, but under county jurisdiction; also former state route 201, and may now be county route 201, but whether it now has a county route number is unknown; see preceding Saddle Road listing for route history and other information, including other former Saddle Road segments now closed to public	~ 12 miles
	Puainako Street	JN Railroad Avenue in south Hilo, intersecting with Kanoelehua Avenue, continuing west to JN Kaumana Drive at Country Club Road, about 1.7 miles east of Saddle Road; only part west of is signed and milemarked; former route 123 east of Komohana Street; 4.5 mile extension west of Komohana Street, to JN Kaumana Drive, opened September 2004; work remains on realigning and widening Puainako Street between Komohana Street and	7.0 miles
Former	Honolii Place	JN Hawaii Belt Road, at Paukaa Drive about 5 miles north of Hilo, east toward Honolii Cove; appears in some Hawaii DOT planning documents in early to mid-1960s, with an improved state-maintained route mileage of 0.2 miles (road's current length) and 0.3 additional unimproved miles (apparently never built); recommended for deletion from state and Federal-aid highway systems in a 1967 Hawaii DOT planning document	0.2 miles
(part)	Honumu Road	JN Hawaii Belt Road, west to JN Mamalahoa Highway in Honumu; part of former route 22; this, and other segments below, may once have been county-maintained Federal-aid routes before being added to state highway system, apparently in late 1960s	0.4 miles
(part)	Mamalahoa Highway (part)	JN Honumu Road in Honumu, south to JN Akaka Falls Road; part of former route 22	0.1 miles
(part)	Akaka Falls Road	JN Mamalahoa Highway in Honumu, west to parking lot in Akaka Falls State Park; realignment completed August 1973; part of former route 22	3.2 miles
Former	Chin Chuck Road or Lepoloa Road (formerly Kauniho Homesteads Road) (part)	JN Hawaii Belt Road near Hakalau, west 1.6 miles; originally unpaved road; shown on 1969-1971 Rand McNally maps, and also Hawaii DOT planning documents in early to mid-1960s, but recommended for deletion from state highway system in 1967; unclear whether the old Kauniho Homesteads Road (which was the road identified as route 226 in Hawaii DOT planning documents) is now Chin Chuck Road, or Lepoloa Road, though only the latter appears to serve the Kauniho Homesteads and so is the more probable former routing	1.6 miles
Former	Mamalahoa Highway (part)	JN Hawaii Belt Road northwest to Ookala; appears in Hawaii DOT planning documents in 1960s (with 1967 recommendation for deletion from state and Federal-aid highway systems), and on 1969 and 1973 maps; road continues 0.7 miles to southwest of Ookala, but apparently never as part of post-statehood numbered highway system	0.9 miles
(part)	Honokaa- Waipio Road (part)	JN Hawaii Belt Road in Honokaa, west to JN Mamane Street; part of former route 24	0.2 miles
(part)	Mamane Street	JN Honokaa-Waipio Road east of Honokaa, west through downtown Honokaa to JN Honokaa-Waipio Road; part of former route 24, and there remains an old route 24 marker at the intersection with Lehua Street	1.3 miles
(part)	Honokaa- Waipio Road (part)	JN Mamane Street in Honokaa, west to turnoff to JN Waipio Valley (Access) Road at Waipio Valley Lookout; current alignment of completed to Waipio Lookout November 1979; part east of Kukuihaele Road is part of former route 24; portions used to be under county jurisdiction, at least in 1960s	8.1 miles
(part)	Honokaa- Waipio Road (part)	Some maps erroneously show extending south of the Waipio Valley Lookout to Waimea (there are only plans for such an extension, long dormant but still appearing in planning documents).	8.1 miles
Former (part)	Kukuihaele Road	JN Honokaa-Waipio Road west of Kukuihaele, west to turnoff to JN Waipio Valley (Access) Road at Waipio Valley Lookout; bypassed by new alignment of in November 1979; part of former route 24	1.5 miles
	Waipio Valley (Access) Road	Turnoff from end of Honokaa-Waipio Road at Waipio Valley Lookout, down the side of a cliff, to the Waipio Valley floor; paved, one-lane road with several paved pullouts; signs warn of 25% grade!	0.8 miles
	Photos	RESTRICTED TO 4x4s (all-wheel-drive not allowed, you need a real 4x4 with low range). Vehicles MUST descend in first gear, low range, to avoid brake failure; low range also needed for steep upgrade on return from the valley. Drivers of conventional cars have died from brake failure on the way down, or have been unable to get their cars back out of the valley without an extremely expensive tow. Also, downhill traffic MUST yield to uphill traffic, since vehicles stopped on their way uphill may not be able to regain momentum to complete the climb.	0.8 miles
(part)	Kohala Mountain Road	JN Kawaihae Road west of Waimea, north to JN Hawi Road south of Hawi; part of former route 25; milemarkers begin at mile 2.57 rather than 0, reflecting route's original origin in Waimea, before those 2.57 miles were transferred to	17.4 miles
(part)	Kohala Mountain Road	Narrow and winding road in places. Very scenic, with several pullouts offering views of the Kona coast.	17.4 miles
(part)	Hawi Road	JN Kohala Mountain Road south of Hawi, north to JN Akoni Pule Highway in Hawi; part of former route 25	1.9 miles
Former	(unknown)	Spur to Kawaihae Harbor, from then-route 26 (now ) Kawaihae Road; recommended for deletion from state and Federal-aid highway systems in 1967 Hawaii DOT planning document	0.2 miles
(part)	Kawaihae Road (part)	JN Kawaihae Road and Queen Kaahumanu Highway, north to JN Akoni Pule Highway in Kawaihae; part of former route 26; first milemarker on is for mile 2, just north of JN , but unlike for I don't know for sure why route 270's milemarkers don't start at mile 0 (perhaps it was in expectation that about two miles of would be added to upon realignment of Kawaihae Road); appears in 1961 Hawaii DOT planning document as proposed extension of route 11 (along with present-day Queen Kaahumanu Highway), but by 1967 had been renumbered as route 270	1.5 miles
(part)	Akoni Pule Highway	JN Kawaihae Road in Kawaihae, north then east to parking area at Pololu Valley lookout; at least one one-lane bridge (at mile 26, about three miles from route end at Polulu Valley); highway east of Hawi may have been part of former route 27; 1961 Hawaii DOT planning document proposed route 11 extension about 12 miles from Kawaihae north to Mahukona, but by 1967 that and rest of proposed route had been renumbered as future , and completed July 1973; part of this route north of Mahukona was originally mostly unpaved county highway; highway named for state legislator who pushed for its construction, as alternate route to narrow and winding Kohala Mountain Road	25.5 miles
(part)	Photos		25.5 miles
Former	Upolu Point Road	JN Akoni Pule Highway west of Hawi at mile 20, north to Upolu Airport; one-lane paved road; rough unpaved road continues west of airport to Mookini Heiau and the birthplace of Kamehameha the Great; highway shown on 1959, 1960, and 1965 maps; targeted for deletion from state and Federal-aid highway systems in 1964 and 1967 Hawaii DOT planning documents, and apparently did not survive the decade	1.9 miles
	See listing on Table 2, before listings
(part)	Kamehameha Avenue (part)	JN Kamehameha Avenue and Kalanianaole Street Kanoelehua Avenue in Hilo, east to JN Silva Street north of Hilo International Airport; this and following segment were shown on 1976 map as part of , and proposed in 1967 Hawaii DOT planning document as part of addition to state highway system, but subsequent history unknown, until added back to numbered state highway system as between 2002 and 2004; no route signage	0.8 miles
(part)	Silva Street	JN Kamehameha Avenue north of Hilo International Airport, north to JN Kuhio Street and Kalanianaole Street; see preceding listing for route history; no route signage	0.2 miles
	See listing above, after Saddle Road listings
	Mauna Kea Access Road (John A. Burns Way)	JN Saddle Road at mile 27.9, north to observatory complex atop Mauna Kea summit; narrow paved road 6.2 miles to visitor center (~9300 feet elevation), then 0.3 miles of pavement beyond center, then 4.6 miles of steep, sometimes narrow unpaved road (grades up to 15%), then paved for last 3.6 miles to the summit area; ascends to elevation of 13780 feet, making road third highest auto road in the United States; completed in January 1976; road, along with observatory complex, under jurisdiction of the University of Hawaii, but Hawaii DOT managed project for the University	14.7 miles
	Photos	Travel above visitor center RESTRICTED TO 4x4s due to steep unpaved grades, and subject to other restrictions to protect visitors and observatory operations. No travel services; nearest travel services are in Hilo, Waimea, or Kailua-Kona. Since high altitude may reduce gas mileage, refueling in one of those places before traveling this road is recommended. See also cautions above for Saddle Road (only paved road connecting this road to the rest of the Big Island's road network).	14.7 miles
	"Kalapana Safe Viewing" toll road	See listing on Table 2, following listings
	Kaloko Drive	JN Mamalahoa Highway near mile 34 northeast of Kailua-Kona, zigzagging east to trailhead high (elevation about 4500 feet) on west slope of Hualalai volcano, with scenic views of the coast around Kailua-Kona; paved county road	6.5 miles
	Photos	Steep and sometimes narrow road, with elevation gain of about 3000 feet.	6.5 miles
	Kamehameha Avenue (part)	See listing on Table 2, within listings
	Mamalahoa Highway (part) (Hilo Scenic Drive)	JN Hawaii Belt Road north of Hilo, north past Onomea Bay to Kulaimano Road (which connects to to complete scenic loop); bypassed by Hawaii Belt Road by 1960	3.4 miles
	Mauna Loa (Observatory) Road	JN Saddle Road at mile 27.7, south then west over 11000' to a trailhead for the Mauna Loa summit, just short of gate to NOAA weather observatory complex high (elevation 11141 feet) on north slope of Mauna Loa volcano; paved but mostly rough one-lane road, with occasional pullouts; U.S. Department of Transportation resurfaced a few miles of this road in mid-2005	17.1 miles
	Photos	Narrow and mostly rough one-lane pavement, with occasional pullouts but often with minimal shoulders through jagged a'a lava fields, and with many blind curves and hills. Road is posted at 20mph. No travel services; nearest travel services are in Hilo, Waimea, or Kailua-Kona. Since high altitude may reduce gas mileage, refueling in one of those places before traveling this road is recommended. See also cautions above for Saddle Road (only paved road connecting this road to the rest of the Big Island's road network).	17.1 miles
	South Point Road	JN Mamalahoa Highway west of Naalehu, south to parking lot near Ka Lae, southernmost point in the United States; unnumbered county road; mostly one-lane paved road; near mile 10, road forks (turn right to stay on South Point Road to Ka Lae, or left for Green Sand Beach trailhead)	11.7 miles
	Photos	Some rental car companies may prohibit driving their vehicles on this road.	11.7 miles
	Stainback Highway	JN Volcano Road south of Hilo, west to Kulani Prison; most is under state (but not Hawaii DOT) jurisdiction, except easternmost 1.1 miles which is under county jurisdiction	18.3 miles
	Stainback Highway	At least part of westernmost 11.6 miles, past Kulana Street, approaching Kulani Prison may be CLOSED to the general public (no gate at the closure point, just warning signs).	18.3 miles
	Waikoloa Road	JN Queen Kaahumanu Highway, east through Waikoloa village to JN Mamalahoa Highway; milemarked but unnumbered, and there are no plans to assign a route number	12.0 miles
	Ane Keohokaloe Highway	JN Palani Road at Henry Street, in Kailua-Kona, north to Hina Lani Street; county two-lane limited-access highway (with room to widen to four lanes) with at-grade crossings, which together with Henry Street and Hina Lani Street bypasses part of Queen Kaahumanu Highway in northern Kailua-Kona; route number, if any, unknown (none posted); 0.4 miles of highway, intersecting Kealakahe Parkway, was open by 2009, with remainder of route completed in 2012; highway named for mother of Queen Liliuokalani	2.9 miles
	Waipio Valley (Access) Road	See listing above, following listings
	Crater Rim Drive	Loop road in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, around main caldera of Kilauea volcano, connecting to Volcano Road at main park entrance, and Chain of Craters Road to coastal areas of park	10.6 miles
	Crater Rim Drive	As of January 2009, road was temporarily CLOSED near Halema'uma'u ("house of ferns") Crater, due to volcanic activity in the crater. The road was still open from the park entrance west to the Jagger Museum, and south to Chain of Craters Road.	10.6 miles
	Chain of Craters Road	JN Crater Rim Drive in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, to lava closure at Holei Sea Arch parking area (mile 18.9) in coastal area of park; used to connect with at former coastal entrance to national park; part of road covered by lava beginning in 1980s; part of road may have been part of route 130 in 1950s, before route was truncated in 1957 to include only segments east of the national park; lava flows in 2002 covered remaining pavement within national park beyond Lae'apuki that had not already been destroyed, and also moved the closure point to the Holei Sea Arch parking area	18.9 miles (plus ~ 5 miles closed)
	Chain of Craters Road	ROAD NORTHEAST OF HOLEI SEA ARCH CLOSED INDEFINITELY BY LAVA FLOWS. Also, access to remainder of road may be affected by volcanic activity along road, or along the only connection between this road and other highways, Crater Rim Drive (though the temporary closure of part of that road, described above, did not prevent travel to Chain of Craters Road).
	Photos	See the Lava Closures photos pages for photos and other information on the current Chain of Craters lava closure, and a previous closure of other parts of the road.
	Mauna Loa (Strip) Road	JN Mamalahoa Highway 2.3 miles west of main park entrance, through Mauna Loa Strip area of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, to end of road at a trailhead (elevation 6662 feet) for Mauna Loa summit; paved, but last 7.6 miles only one lane wide	13.5 miles

Go back to Table 1 (existing Hawaii Belt routes 11, 19, and 190)

Go back to Table 2 (other numbered routes < 200, including former Hawaii Belt segments)

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© Oscar Voss/C.C. Slater 1997-2010, 2012-13. Last updated January 2014. See update status list for the latest field check and review of Hawaii DOT records.

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