Hawaiʻi state officials plan to move a vulnerable portion of one of its coastal highways further inland in an effort to protect it from rising water and erosion. Residents and business owners who rely on the road have some reservations about the proposed plans.
What's happening?
The rising sea levels and erosion along a stretch of the Honoapiʻilani Highway are not just environmental concerns, but immediate threats that are forcing officials to make some tough decisions.
Flooding and coastal erosion are already taking a toll, and they are expected to get much worse in the coming years. According to data from the Pacific Islands Ocean Observing System models, only a six-inch sea level rise would mean water would encroach a portion of the southern stretch of the highway. The high-end projections suggest a rise of up to 3.2 feet by the end of this century, which would completely submerge most of the southern section of the highway.
The community's reservations about relocating the highway are not to be taken lightly. They are concerned that it will draw more people and possible development into their quiet community. There is also fear that the move will bring traffic closer to homes. Malihini Keahi-Heath, a resident with family in Olowalu, has voiced her concerns. She has seen the impacts that followed relocating a road and fears a similar situation here.
"I know progress is progress, but like I said, every time we had a road, something else is happening," Keahi-Heath told Maui Now.
Why is flooding along a Hawaiian coastal highway concerning?
Hawaiʻi is one of several states that face increasing risk from rising sea levels. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has projected sea levels to rise between 1.4 to 2.8 feet higher by 2100 and hasn't ruled out a rise of over six feet.
The worst-case scenario would severely impact coastal states like the Carolinas, submerging at least three counties in North Carolina while new islands would form in portions of Charleston, South Carolina. The Florida Keys and sections of Miami would be inundated. The majority of New York City and all of Long Island would also be submerged under ocean waters.
The 2023 annual State of the Climate report from the American Meteorological Society noted that sea levels hit a record high during what at that time was Earth's hottest year on record. It was the 12th straight year with sea level rise. The report said the sea level has risen 4 inches above where it was 30 years ago.
A study published last fall said, "The rise in globally averaged sea level — or global mean sea level — is one of the most unambiguous indicators of climate change." Researchers revealed that the rate of rise in global sea level has doubled over the past three decades.
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Definitely 🥰 What's being done about the rise in sea level?
Indiana University's Environmental Resilience Institute has suggested adaptation strategies that include constructing new infrastructure, maintaining and restoring wetlands, and modifying land use as ways to address the risk of rising sea levels.
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