Interstate H-3 Opened to Public
- kaimibk
- Mar 17, 2019
- 1 min read
Updated: Mar 25, 2019
When: December 12, 1997
Who: State of Hawaii
What: The completion of the 16.1 mile freeway causes mixed feelings of fear and rage to Native Hawaiians as the structure and freeway system extends over sacred burial grounds.
Where: Freeway is built Haiku and Halawa Valleys (connecting Windward and Leeward areas of the island).
Why: The Interstate H-3 was intended to help with traffic flow and alleviate heavy freeway usage on the H-1 and H-2. Specifically, the H-3 was to help with the commute between Leeward/Pearl Harbor to Windward/Kaneohe. However, the Interstate H-3 destroyed cultural sites significant to Native Hawaiians and still impacted ones that were avoided.
How: The proposal of the Interstate H-3 started over three decades before the completion of the project; various legal challenges and accusations delayed the completion of the freeway. The freeway was realigned in 1992 to avoid construction over two significant heiau.
Outcome: State attempts to address concerns by working with Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA) to develop cultural centers in the areas affected. The “Halawa-Luluku Interpretive Development Project” has been in progress with the intention of recognizing and respecting cultural areas affected.
To address Hawaiian concerns, the state is working on an agreement with the the Office of Hawaiian Affairs to develop interpretive cultural centers in both Halawa and Haiku valleys. Plans tentatively call for OHA to get $11.2 million in federal highway funds to build them, but OHA is worried about maintaining the public centers since its own funds only can be used for people with 50 percent or more Hawaiian blood. (http://archives.starbulletin.com/97/12/04/news/story3.html)
Sources: See for more information.
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