GOVERNOR LINGLE RELEASES $9,258,204 FOR IMPROVEMENTS AT KAHULUI AIRPORT

For Immediate Release: April 20, 2005

HONOLULU – Governor Lingle has released $9,258,204 to finance improvements at Kahului Airport to support the state’s Alien Species Action Plan (ASAP). 

The project includes a new 7,400 square-foot Alien Species Action Plan agricultural inspection facility, which will help prevent the introduction of invasive species into Maui, and a 31,000 square-foot cargo building.  A general-purpose cement apron will allow for the isolation of arriving aircraft from the terminal building and other passenger aircraft. 

“This long-overdue inspection facility is the result of a lot of hard work by the state, county, environmental groups, agriculture industry and tourism sector,” said Governor Lingle. 

“This new Maui inspection facility will be state-of-the-art and will assist us greatly in our efforts to prevent the introduction of harmful pests and to protect our agricultural industries and the environment,” said Sandra Lee Kunimoto, chairperson of the Hawai`i Board of Agriculture.

The improvement plans include relocating the cargo building adjacent to the agricultural inspection building.  The new location will provide shippers with easier access to the cargo facility, where cargo, including fresh produce, will be stored in a covered facility rather than in the open sun as it awaits being loaded onto the airplanes.

As part of the project, the Department of Transportation (DOT) will also realign Haleakala Highway to the northeast to accommodate the improvements, construct an access road from Haleakala Highway to the new facilities and construct a postal service access road.  The project will also include an employee parking area.

The estimated construction cost for the project is $23,378,204.  Of this amount, $14,120,000 is federally funded.

“The bottom line is all of these improvements will help upgrade Kahului Airport to deal with increasing visitor demand at our airport,” said Rodney Haraga, State Department of Transportation director. “When you include the ongoing construction to renovate the airport terminal, Kahului Airport is clearly becoming a first-class facility.”

The Maui Planning Commission granted a special management area permit for the project last month.  The proposed improvements are expected to be completed by 2007.

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For more information, contact:
Lenny Klompus  
Senior Advisor – Communications  
Phone: 586-7708

Russell Pang
Chief of Media Relations
Phone: 586-0043

Rod Haraga
Director, Dept. of Transportation
Phone: 586-2150