Hirono visits Maui, urges more funding for infrastructure
U.S. Sen. Mazie Hirono pressed for continued investment in infrastructure following a recent visit to Maui that included a stop along Honoapiilani Highway that officials have long planned to move inland due to coastal erosion and sea level rise.
Hirono toured the Olowalu site where several miles of the highway will eventually be relocated. Last year, the senator helped the state Department of Transportation secure a $22 million federal Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity grant to help fund the project, according to a news release from Hirono’s office Wednesday.
“The Honoapiilani Highway is a critical connection between West Maui and the rest of Maui,” Hirono said. “But with climate change getting worse, rising sea levels threaten to make parts of the highway impassable, which would cause significant hardship for people who rely on the highway to get to work, school, and so much more. As we work to combat climate change, we must invest in resilient infrastructure that will serve our communities now and in the long run.”
Hawaii is also set to receive about $1.5 billion in formula funding for highways and bridges from the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
Hirono also visited Maui Brewing Co. and Coconut’s Fish Cafe in Kihei. Coconut’s received about $2.3 million in relief funding from the Restaurant Revitalization Fund established by the American Rescue Plan and was able to retain 112 employees during the pandemic, the news release said.
The senator also stopped by the Maui Arts & Cultural Center, which received about $2.9 million in relief funding through the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant. With the funding, the MACC pivoted to virtual performances to continue employing performers, technical crews and staff until it could resume in-person programming.