The road through Kolekole Pass is a narrow, winding one way road up the rugged Waianae Mountains that has been plagued and damaged by rock falls and mudslides over the years.
UPDATE: 8:20 p.m.
U.S. Army officials said they closed Kolekole Pass at 8:15 p.m. due to limited visibility.
“U.S Army Hawaii in close coordination with the U.S Navy, Honolulu Police Department and State of Hawaii Department of Transportation opened Kolekole Pass on the Westside of Oahu to facilitate a safe and expeditious evacuation prior to the tsunami arriving,” the Army statement said.
“More than 410 vehicles transited the pass safely during the evacuation. Mahalo to the local community for their cooperation and helping authorities demonstrate the viability of the pass to safeguard the community.”
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The Army and Navy have opened Kolekole Pass from Lualualei Naval Road to Lyman Road to civilian traffic to support islandwide tsunami evacuation efforts.
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In a statement, the military said, “this route is now accessible for emergency use and may be used by residents as an alternate evacuation path. Motorists are advised to use extreme caution and follow all posted signs and instructions from military and emergency personnel. The pass will remain open until the all-clear is given by emergency management authorities.”
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Originally built by the Army’s 3rd Engineers in the 1930s, the narrow, winding road traverses the steep, rugged ridges of the Waianae Mountains as a way to connect Navy and Army facilities on either side. Rock and mud slides have frequently damaged the road and until recently it was largely kept closed to the public.
The 2023 Maui wildfires and concerns about fire and other disasters prompted renewed interest in the route, with Congress ultimately calling for the Army and Navy to work together on short- and long-term repairs and maintenance of it.
In February personnel and vehicles from the Army, Navy, state Department of Transportation, Hawaii Emergency Management Agency, Honolulu Department of Emergency Management, the Honolulu Police Department and Honolulu Fire Department did a practice run using it as an evacuation route.
