Karin Stanton/Hawaii247.com Contributing Editor

Good news for drivers in and around Kealakehe. The Department of Hawaiian Home Lands confirmed Tuesday the road linking neighborhoods around Kealakehe High School and Kealakehe Intermediate School is expected to be open in late April.

DHHL spokesman Lloyd Yonenaka said the road, which had been scheduled to open late last year, has been delayed “for any number of reasons, cost of materials being one of those.”

With work on the Palani Road intersection with Kealakaa Street well underway, Yonenaka said the department wants to open the Liaopua connector road as quickly as possible.

“We have a vested interest in getting in done quickly as possible,” he said.

“It will help our beneficiares and it will benefit the development above the road tremendously. And we also want projects that benefit the entire community. This road will do that.” 

The county completed construction on its portion of the Laiopua connector road last year.  

The mauka-makai connector runs is between Kealakehe and the Villages at Laiopua. The new road will stretch approximately 3,800 feet from Keanalehu Drive in the Villages of Laiopua, mauka on Manawalea Street to connect with Kealakaa Street in the Kealakehe housing area.