Kailua
Project Overview
Following requests to improve safety on Kailua streets and years of community meetings and surveys to identify specific improvements, the City and State are excited to announce that the following walkway improvement projects will be moving into the design phase with federal funding: Kailua Road, Kalāheo Avenue, and Kuʻulei Road. The proposed improvements include pedestrian crossing beacons, pedestrian crossing islands, curb extensions, bike lanes, and traffic calming. Additional community updates will be provided as projects move into the detailed design phase. Complete Streets plans were developed based on safety and traffic studies and community feedback.
The Opportunity
The City is planning improvements to major roadways in Kailua town with the aim of improving safety for all users.
- Safe and convenient for people of all ages and abilities
- Accommodating to all modes, including foot, bicycle, transit, and automobile
- Integrated with the community’s vision and sense of place
- Supportive of community health and transportation equity
Complete Streets Plans
Click thumbnails to view or download a PDF of proposed roadway plans and safety concepts.
Community Meetings
Click links below to view recorded presentations, slides and additional meeting materials.
Upcoming & Current Projects
Kalapawai Roundabout
View the Kalapawai Project website for more details on improvements along Kalāheo Avenue and Kailua Road HERE.
In 2018, a pilot roundabout was installed at the intersection of Kalāheo Avenue and Kailua Road to test the use of a roundabout to improve both roadway safety and traffic flow. The results of the pilot roundabout proved to be effective in calming traffic while also having no impacts on traffic buildup. Through 2020 and 2021, the Department of Transportation Services (DTS) and Department of Facility Maintenance (DFM) worked to design an upgrade of the roundabout with higher-quality materials, construct sidewalks and raised crossings in the immediate project vicinity, and install drainage infrastructure to address frequent stormwater ponding. Drainage infrastructure will include permeable pavements, trench drains, pre-treatment tanks, and rain gardens.
Keolu Drive
The Department of Transportation Services has begun a Complete Streets planning and preliminary design process to improve pedestrian and bicycle safety and mobility on Keolu Drive, and safely connect Keolu Drive to Kailua Road via pedestrian and bicycle safety improvements. Complete streets improvements including improved bike lane infrastructure, improved safety at intersections, speed reduction measures, additional and upgraded pedestrian walkways and crosswalks, and roadway reconfiguration. The project will better connect Keolu Drive to Kailua Road, and provide direct access to four schools, two parks, and Kailua’s commercial center. It will also provide regional connections by linking to the Hāmākua Drive and Kailua Road bikeways.
![A road diet](https://www8.honolulu.gov/completestreets/wp-content/uploads/sites/37/2024/03/keolu-Drive-p42-1024x683.jpg)
Walkway Improvements
- Kailua Road (Kuʻulei Road to Hahani Street)
- Kuʻulei Road (Oneawa Street to North Kainalu)
- Kālaheo Avenue (Mōkapu Boulevard to Kawainui Channel)
![A cyclist using the road](https://www8.honolulu.gov/completestreets/wp-content/uploads/sites/37/2023/12/Kailua-Sm-Kuulei_Road-1024x768.jpg)
Plans
Interactive Map
Click on the interactive map to view community comments about issues residents encountered, or ideas community members have to make the area safer and more accessible for all.