Lahaina Town To Receive Dust And Privacy Screens As Highway Opens

The Hawaii Department of Transportation just announced that concurrent with the opening of the main Lahaina Bypass Road, it will be installing screens around the area’s perimeter.

Dust screens also add a significant layer of privacy and security protection to areas where they are used and will help shield the fire zone from passersby. They will also keep the dust down from an area that is believed to contain countless hazardous materials.

The destruction is to remain off limits.

DOT says that “the Hawaiʻi Department of Transportation (HDOT) began installing dust screens around Lāhainā Town. The dust screens will reduce the spread of potentially hazardous materials across the roadways. This measure is being taken to protect highway users along Honoapiʻilani Highway (Route 30) and the Lāhāina Bypass (Route 3000). ”

That comes as “federal, state, Maui County, and volunteer agencies continue recovery actions in Lāhāina. The dust screens will not interfere with those efforts.”

The Department of Transportation is beginning the installation of the fence posts today. They said that it may take up to a month to complete the screen installation. Those will then be maintained by HDOT until further notice.

Lahaina Bypass Road first reopened yesterday.

Access to West Maui was allowed to all vehicles today, following the closure since the Maui fire.

Gov. Green announced the opening of the Lahaina Bypass in his briefing late yesterday, but also urged the public to access West Maui only if necessary.

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21 thoughts on “Lahaina Town To Receive Dust And Privacy Screens As Highway Opens”

  1. Thank you for always keeping us main landers that love Maui in the know. I am just curious as to where all of the debris and ruins will be disposed of. With Maui being such a small island and the destruction being so great will it be shipped back to the mainland? I’m not trying to be insensitive at all, I’m genuinely curious. When we visited, we saw a lot of abandoned cars and washing machines and other large appliances that the residents had just abandoned on the roads. If it is so hard to dispose of unwanted stuff for the people that live there, I’m just wondering how all of this stuff will be disposed of. Prayers for everyone there, this has been so sad to watch from here, I can’t imagine how bad it is there for the locals.

    1. Actually, I was wondering about the same thing. However, it seems that the fires were so strong, that there is not much left, although they do show all the cars that were burnt …I was off island when this happened and planning to return to Maui in October. My full time move there was going well until this happened …so many questions!

  2. Bless Their Hearts. This is invaluable. I for one to not want any more damage physically to the locals and workers. I also when I do return would prefer privacy screens for respect of Lahaina, etc.

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  3. Aloha all. We left Maui on Sunday. We were staying in Kaanapali. From our condo we could see the helicopters drop water on the smoldering fire. The National Guard was there to make sure we turned at the Lahaina Bypass when we left. There was much devastation that could be seen even from the bypass. We were shocked and couldn’t even speak as we drove by. At Maalea, we were stopped by Maui Police to ask our destination. We had our condo through the 20th, but were forced to leave. Of course no elevators on the 7th floor for a 68 and 70 year old helped. We were conflicted when leaving, but at that point we couldn’t help. Unbelievably sad.

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  4. Now is the time they should allow Mobil home, with this type of home it would be affordable, only approved models and approved by the Building Department, and Planning Department this type of building must meet any city and County Building new codes only certain areas will be allowed use this type of buildings

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      1. Neither would I and I am not wealthy nor in the tourist industry. Quick and temporary decisions usually lead to long term effects.

    1. Good thinking outside of the box, but Instead of Mobil Homes why not Modul / PreFab Homes a much better solation to a Mobil Home. They could be build on Maui or another Island thus a win win for both the residences and Hawaii as a whole.

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        1. No not the same I will post a definition below the difference of a Mobile.
          I was in Cat.4 Hurricane Laura 2020 followed Hurricane Delta the just over a month later. FEMA used RV’s. for displaced persons. It will be a long process for all those involved person. We still have people that are still living in these RV’s today.
          Prefabricated homes, often referred to as prefab homes or simply prefabs, are specialist dwelling types of prefabricated building, which are manufactured off-site in advance, usually in standard sections that can be easily shipped and assembled. Some current prefab home designs include architectural details inspired by postmodernism or futurist architecture.
          “Prefabricated” may refer to buildings built in components (e.g. panels), modules (modular homes) or transportable sections (manufactured homes), and may also be used to refer to mobile homes, i.e., houses on wheels. Although similar, the methods and design of the three vary widely. There are two-level home plans, as well as custom home plans. There are considerable differences in the construction types. In the U.S., mobile and manufactured houses are constructed in accordance with HUD building codes, while modular houses are constructed in accordance with the IRC (International Residential Code).
          Mobile homes, or trailers, are built on wheels, and can be pulled by a vehicle. They are considered to be personal property, and are licensed by the Dept. of Motor Vehicles.[citation needed]

  5. Jeff and Rob it’s ill responsible on your parts to say the rest of the island is fine when it is not.

    For every video saying come to Maui there’s a counter video saying do not come. Saying Lahaina is off limits is a joke there’s several videos online of individuals walking through the ruins of Lahaina.

    Local population came to the rescue of their neighbors and delivering goods to the west side long before government authorities arrived.

    Now that government has arrived they’re taking donated goods away from these groups..

    Speaking to friends in Kihei they say tensions are running high with locals. That if I come to Maui in October to stay close to our resort to avoid confrontation with locals.

    After hearing that I pulled the plug on October trip to Maui.

    I’m a business owner and wildfire survivor it’s a shame that many are suffering do to fire, but that’s risk of being in business it’s not our responsibility to keep Maui’s economy a float.

    By the way 20 minutes from us they’re evacuating residents do to a wildfire.

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  6. Of course don’t the “dust and privacy” screens also prevent anyone from seeing what is going on or accessing the area- even those who own property there? Hmmmm….

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    1. I agree the cover up has already started.

      Just like PG&E our power company responsible for many of the wildfires that wiped out several Northern California communities and hundreds of deaths.

      Did anyone go to jail, nope. Did fines reach victims and their families, nope.

      Hopefully Hawaiians on Maui hold those responsible for so many deaths.

      I hope Biden gets met with an S… Storm….

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  7. Yes we have a birthday trip planned for September 20th- 24th and it was to Maui we haven’t heard anything concerning our trip and no one is talking we are just trying to see what’s happening and will our travel agents know ahead of time if we have to make changes for our trip. Please can someone let us know because it was a birthday trip for me and my sisters and for those who took those days off we really need time to check somewhere else if Maui is out of commission. Concern traveler

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    1. Hi Wanda.

      But sure what to say that we haven’t already said. Other than West Maui it is okay to visit – it is up to you. West Maui’s return to a travel destination isn’t known at this time and if pending far more critical issues being addressed first. We will know more in the next few weeks.

      Aloha.

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      1. Hi Wanda, I dont know what to say except, please read and re-read the stories about Lahaina and its entire loss. Sometimes, we must put ourselves aside for others!

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        1. My Dad was a hero, a Navy fighter pilot in WWII at Kaneohe. We have been part of Hawaii as a family for many years. My folks are in Heaven now but I say, thank God for our Navy and thank you LtCmdr.❤️🌺

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