HILO, Hawaii – On Friday, the Hawaii County Council voted to add the long awaited Hokulia Bypass Road to the Capital Budget. $20 million dollars in private funding will be used to complete the new road from KaleioPapa Street to the intersection of Napo’opo’o Road and the Mamalahoa Highway. The project also includes improvements on Haleki’i Street so it can handle the increased traffic.

Councilwoman Brenda Ford speaks on Hokulia Bypass project

Councilwoman Brenda Ford voted in favor of the resolution, but she also had a warning for the county.

Brenda Ford

“I’m really concerned about this situation because this development is still in a bankruptcy court situation. And until that is resolved or until they transfer that money to the county, we’re still at risk of getting this money. Now the money is backed up by three tiers of land that they would have to transfer to us. But we don’t want the land. We need to get the money in order to build the roads and the intersections at Haleki’i Street and Napo’opo’o Junction.”

Ford said if there is any inkling that the county might not get the money, she is going to “become a very strong advocate of building affordable housing right in the middle of this luxury subdivision.”