How Kauai's North Shore Has Changed for Visitors
A year after rushing floodwaters shut down a portion of Kauai’s north shore, the area prepares to reopen to the public—with some changes. BY MADELEINE CARR JUN 17, 2019
It’s been over a year since the north shore of Kauai faced record-breaking rainfall and torrential flooding, which inundated farms, destroyed homes and disrupted many local businesses. While some community members are still reeling from the floods’ effects, others eagerly await the reopening of the western end of Kuhio Highway and the renewal they hope will come with it. This is part one of a three-part series. No one saw it coming. On the night of April 13, 2018, forecasts called for some potential rain, nothing the residents and visitors of Kauai—home to Mount Waialeale, one of the wettest places on Earth—were unfamiliar with. However, the next two days brought up to 53.57 inches of rain in some areas, submerging bridges under 8 feet of water and forcing the helicopter evacuations of over 340 people from the towns of Haena and Wainiha from April 16 to 18, according to the National Weather Service and an April 18, 2018, news release from the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency. These two small communities were soon shut off from the public, but not by police barriers and officers. Around noon on April 14, landslides had isolated the small towns—and their inhabitants—from the rest of the north shore, and Jet Skis, boats and helicopters were required to rescue individuals as they gathered on beaches, waiting for help. Kuhio Highway soon to reopen For over a year, the westernmost stretch of Kuhio Highway on Kauai—the road that leads to the popular Kee and Tunnels beaches, as well as Haena and Wainiha—has been inaccessible to the general public. Contractors and residents of those areas are the only individuals allowed past Waipa Bridge as workers continue to repair the roads and bridges heavily impacted by the floods. There was also a rockslide near Hanalei Bridge May 4, which has reduced the traffic going into and out of Hanalei to one lane, in alternating directions, while workers stabilize the slope. It’s led to the misconception that the north shore of Kauai is “closed,” when, in fact, a large part of Hanalei, which is located just before the repairs, is up and running. There’s only a one to three minute wait to get past Hanalei Bridge, says Haleakala Anakalea, office and sales manager at Kayak Hanalei.