Hawaii Route 95 is an unsigned State Highway on the Island of O'ahu. Hawaii Route 95 begins at Interstate H-1/Queen Liliuokalani Freeway Exit 1 near Makalio. From Interstate H-1 the alignment Hawaii Route 95 follows Kalaeloa Boulevard 1.5 miles south and Makakole Street westward towards Barbers Point Harbor.
During October 1795 British Sea Captain Henry Barber was leading a trading voyage to China on the ship known as the Arthur. After resupplying in Waikiki, the Arthur set sail westward for Kaua'i. While rounding O'ahu the Arthur wrecked on a reef which led to the death of six of the crewmembers. The remaining fifteen crew of the Arthur made it ashore at what came to be known as Barbers Point. Barbers Point is known as Kalaeloa in Hawaiian and can be seen on the 1899 J.T. Taylor Map of O'ahu.
In 1888 a lighthouse was built at Barbers Point as a navigational aid. The original Barbers Point Lighthouse was replaced by the current structure in 1933. The second Barbers Point Lighthouse was automated in 1964 and is accessible from Barbers Point Beach Park.
During World War II the territory of Hawaii saw an influx of military activity following the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7th, 1941. Numerous Military Routes and early Hawaii Routes were signed through the Hawaiian Territory to aid military personnel in navigating the islands. Military Highways were assigned US Route style shields whereas lesser highways were assigned an early variation of what is now the Hawaii Route Spade. A 1946 Army Map of the Island of O'ahu shows Hawaii Route 215 (following Camp Road) and Hawaii Route 214 over the general corridor of modern Hawaii Route 95 within the ranges of Naval Air Station Barbers Point. Naval Air Station Barbers Point had been opened by the United States Navy during 1943. A full version of the 1946 Army Map of O'ahu can be seen on hawaiihighways.com here.
Circa 1955 following the conclusion of World War II the United States Bureau of Public Roads renumbered the Hawaii Route System. The 1955 Hawaii Route renumbering saw most of the conventions utilized by the current Hawaii State Route System established. Primary Hawaii Routes were given two digit numbers whereas Secondary Hawaii Routes were given three digit numbers. The Hawaii Routes were assigned in sequence for what Island/County they were located on coupled with what Federal Aid Program number they were tied to. In the case of O'ahu the Island was assigned numbers in the range of 60-99. World War II era Hawaii Route 215 and Hawaii Route 214 were not given new 1955 era designations. Barbers Point can be seen on the 1959 Gousha Map of Hawaii being accessible only via a military road from Naval Air Station Barbers Point.
Conceptually Hawaii Route 95 was first proposed as a Federal Aid Primary Program in downtown Honolulu which can be seen in the Interstate H-4 proposal document titled; Proposed Route H-4. The original Hawaii Route 95 proposal would have followed the general corridor of South Street north from proposed Interstate H-4 to Interstate H-1/Luanlilo Freeway.
The Barbers Point Deep Draft Habor was completed by the United State Army Corps of Engineers during 1985 at a cost of $59,000,000 dollars. Naval Air Station Barbers Point was closed during 1999 as part of the Base Realignment and Closure Acts of the 1990s. Barbers Point Harbor was subsequently turned over to the State of Hawaii. The transfer of Barbers Point Harbor saw it converted to commercial usage via which led to the emergence of the current Hawaii Route 95. Hawaii Route 95 (Hawaii Route 93 is shown in error on Malakole Street) can be seen on the 2013 USGS Map of Barbers Point.
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