We thought the worst was over for North Shore Kauai before learning this.
81 thoughts on “Road Opens But Problems and Delays Persist | North Shore Kauai”
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Home » Blog » Culture and Events » Road Opens But Problems and Delays Persist | North Shore Kauai
I was very excited to hear about the shuttle to tunnels and Ke’e beach as I think that would be an excellent way to minimize parking issues until I saw the cost. I’m sorry but my family of four cannot afford $11×4 ($44) to spend the day at our favorite beaches. Specially when our entire week is spent at the beach pretty much. I think this fee needs to be reconsidered especially when locals are charged $2. We visit Kauai yearly as our vacation spot and we love to help support local shops and restaurants while we’re there.
We Love Kauai, however I would not be willing to sit in traffic or not have facilities. I think Kauai should finish the roadwork when ever they want to finish it. It is just sad the government is putting restrictions of funding for the repairs. I would love to put my restrictions on how they spend my tax money 🙂
Aloha, We will be on the north shore end of June/early July and staying in Princeville. I am excited about the prospect of the road being open by then. I wonder if the road is open and we are able to access it without too much traffic, we will be allowed to park on side streets to access beaches? Particularly I am thinking of the Kephui Point area. We did this one day in the past and had a really nice day enjoying that area. I will not even be too heartbroken about going further down the road, but would like to visit this area again. I am not opposed to a shuttle system either as long as I can bring my beach chair and my cooler. Thanks for all the updates.
Hi Tammy.
We have wondered the same thing. No answers yet; stay tuned as this unfolds.
Aloha.
What a disaster to have a 90 minute wait to go 5 minutes from Princeville to Hanalei. We have been coming to Princeville every summer since 1991. We come mainly for the drive from Princeville to Ke e. I pray the shuttle is optional. I’m ok with paying an access fee to park my car. The shuttle is not going to work for me. This is a good plan to have less visitors on Kauai. The north shore is the main attraction of the whole island. I’m grateful for the time I’ve spent as it’s alway a life changing experience. Hoping the access to the island with be preserved.
It’s because the island has to much visitors also people don’t understand that what happened last year April devastated the oldest island in the island chain. We have to preserve our beaches and our wildlife and our corals and all of the visitors sunscreen is what’s killing all of it people come they leave their trash they speed on our roads and they overcrowd our stores all of us have to suffer the consequences and even our children have to suffer the fact that people are moving here every single day each year and buying up all the land and all the houses and giving our kids no option but to move when they graduate . We need to have a limited amount of people that are able to live on this island and we need to have a limited amount of visitors each year that can’t go over a certain limit. People should stop complaining and let the county of Kauai Fix the infrastructure of the north shore and our visitors need to understand how precious this island is enter respect it to the best of their ability or don’t come.
How April flood is a responsibility of tourists at Haena or those who buy land ther? You make no sense.
Aloha. We are owners on the north shore and have been patiently waiting for the road to re-open. We wouldn’t consider going down to Ke’e until the work is totally done. We also understand the need for limitations, and being from Colorado, have seen such limitations put in place. They were controversial to start, bugs were worked out, and now, the limitations are accepted as normal. It’s worth it to preserve your special places and the “end of the road” should be saved for as long as possible. Who knows how long it will be available with rising oceans and more threatening storms?
We have noticed that since the flood, the coral at Anini has also been coming back. Perhaps the influx of so much rain was good for the ocean? We are also glad that Hawai’i has taken the much needed step to ban the damaging sun screen. We just hope it won’t be too little, too late. We love Kauai, and want it preserved as much as the natives. Mahalo.
Thanks Kathi.
Aloha.
I’m a haole who’s been visiting Hawaii every year or two since 1985, and have been to the affected area dozens of times. I fully understand Hawaii’s coerced statehood “process” in the late 1950s and think it’s time we allow them to make these decisions on access for themselves. Compared to all the things our state government has done in California under the guise of states’ rights, the limited-access decisions made in Kauai are negligible. Tourists and visitors need to quit whining about lack of access to these beautiful areas and take in the thousands of others that Hawaii offers. These areas belong to the people of Hawaii. Their land. Their rules.
Right On!
Right in! Fully agree.
Judy B. I totally agree. This area is too precious and precarious not to take precautions to preserve its natural beauty. I am personally looking forward to being able to take a shuttle since I’ve always been the driver and not able to fully appreciate my surroundings – and we’ve not been able to park at Kee Beach on our last several visits. I fully support these efforts.
From one haole to another who’s also an annual visitor for 18+ years, I COMPLETELY AGREE!
I absolutely agree! “Coerced statehood” is an understatement!
Totally agree
I am so with you on this Tim. Also a yearly visitor and timeshare owner since 2004, I respect the beauty of the culture and the beauty of the land. This is solely the decision of the residents of Kauai. There will be no whining on my part concerning any delays or limits to visiting this sacred and peaceful area. Looking forward to being back “with one foot on the sand” in November. Until then Aloha and Mahalo to all those who care, really care, about Kauai.
I have been visiting Kauai for 20 years and I try and be respectful to the local people and understand some of their frustrations with the traffic and the additional visiting population. I feel some of the hostility from the local residents from time to time. I understand that just because I’m providing income to the local economy with my visit, I don’t get to have any special considerations but it would be nice to have a little appreciation for my part in the key component of the Kauai economy. There is no longer any sugar cane or pineapple business to provide jobs and coffee growing doesn’t provide that much work. Kauai is an incredible attraction but if the visitors begin to feel like there is a “No Visitors” sign around a lot of the areas, they may decide to go elsewhere. I don’t think anyone is concerned about that now with the abundance of tourists but be careful what you wish for.
Could they do something like the National Parks do with roads that are closed during the winter? A lot of them open the roads to foot traffic and bikes then later into the warm months, they open the road to vehicles and restrict pedestrians and cyclists. My thought is to open the road in May to foot traffic and cyclists then switch it over to vehicles once they have the logistics squared away with shuttles, and passes, and the facilities and parks are ready to re-open. This would allow people to see the sights along the road without needing to park or create traffic jams. They could allow a certain number of entrants each day and enforce a leave no trace rule.
Aloha! Thank you so m much for filling in details as they become available. We are frequent visitors to Kauai. Recently we have been staying in Haena at vacation rentals, but mostly love Hanalei Colony Resort.
We will patiently wait as long as necessary until the road is open without restrictions and the access problems have been solved. Stayed on Weke Road in Hanalei in early March. Farmers Market, Tahiti Nui, Gourmet -all was well, but we missed Haena and Lumahai . We will get there when the time is right.
A Beat of Hawaii reader, Joy, mentioned why not have the shuttle parking be at the Princeville airport…I hope they are considering that , it is an excellent idea! I avoid the Foodland center when possible…the parking there has become awful.
Mahalo again for all the info and keeping us updated.
Hi Suzanne.
Thank you. More will be revealed.
Aloha.
Parking at the Princeville Airport, or the neighboring golf course sound perfect. Finding parking at Foodland is already difficult. If we have to share it with cars that are just sitting there all day, that will be a waste of space that should be saved for the shopping area customers.
Do we have any idea yet how many they will restrict each day? Will we be able to get a multi-day pass or at least individual passes for more than one day? I know many people want the opportunity to go, but we basically spend our trip in the water or under the trees at Tunnels. I’d hate to think we’d only get to go on one day.
These comments interest me. Some locals complain about the tourists (except the merchants of course), the tourists complain that they can’t get access. I doubt there is one answer that will appease all. I visit Kauai every year (stay in Poipu), but in my humble opinion, I believe the locals take priority here. They have invested a lot in their property and in their local economy, establishing businesses or working in them, sometimes trying to “make it” in a place that is getting more expensive every year. They should have first say as to the resolution of this matter. I suggest that the powers that be reach a consensus and go with it before Federal dollars dry up. It may not be perfect and definitely will not be supported by everyone, but from what I’ve read over the past few weeks and months this is going to have to be a “let’s try it and see how it goes” situation. Adjustments will be necessary, so everyone, especially the tourists, are just going to have to be patient until all the wrinkles are ironed out.
Mahalo ke Akua
wow. i think they should work hard to fix the road for the locals, and really, this includes me, have a fee to park and drive. it is so crowded and takes the fun. take it back before. really.