Skip to main content

Maui County Route 390

By


Maui County Route 390 is a 12.1-mile highway which exists on the Island of Maui.  Maui County Route 390 connects the communities of Paia, Makawao and Olinda via Baldwin Avenue and Olinda Road.  Maui County Route 390 was originally assigned as Hawaii Route 39 when the 1955 Hawaii Route System was established.  


Part 1; the history of Hawaii Route 39 and Maui County Route 390

The Island of Maui seemingly was not part of the original World War II era Hawaii Route System.  Circa 1955 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 the Island of Maui it was assigned numbers in the range of 30-40.

Hawaii Route 39 was aligned from Paia to Makawao via 7 miles of Baldwin Avenue and 5.1 miles of Olinda Road to Olinda.  Hawaii Route 39 can be seen on the 1959 Gousha Highway Map of Hawaii.  

The southern terminus of Hawaii Route 39 in Olinda is shown on the 1957 United States Geological Survey Map of Kilohana to end at the Kailua Gulch Jeep Trail near Olinda Prison Camp.  The Kailua Gulch Trail is shown to connect Hawaii Route 39 to Hawaii Route 378/Haleakala Highway near the boundary to Haleakala annex of Hawaii Volcanos National Park.  


Hawaii Route 39 seems primarily to have existed to service Olinda Prison Camp.  Olinda Prison Camp was in operation from 1926 until it shuttered during 1973.  Reportedly Olinda Prison Camp had a declining inmate population and difficulties keeping staffing in a remote location on Haleakala's northern flank.  According to hawaiihighways.com, the Hawaii Department of Transportation once considered upgrading the Kailau Gulch Jeep Trail as part of Hawaii Route 39 during the 1960s but had abandoned the idea by no later than 1967.  According to hawaiihighways.com, Maui County Route 390 appears on a 1976 Maui County planning map and the 1981 Maui County Route log.  


Part 2; scenes around Maui County Route 390

Maui County Route 390 begins in Paia via Baldwin Avenue south from Hawaii Route 36/Hana Highway.  No Maui County Route 390 signage appears on Hawaii Route 36 in Paia approaching Baldwin Avenue.  Paia was founded in 1880 as the site of a Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar mill and siding of the Kahului Railroad.



Maui County Route 390 signage can be found along Maui County Route 365 in Makawao.  Maui County Route 365 serves as the point where Maui County Route 390 transitions from Baldwin Avenue to Olinda Road.  


Maui County Route 390 follows Olinda Road to a southern terminus near the site of the former Olinda Prison Camp.  An oddly misshapen Hawaii Route 39 shield was once present (and might still be) as recently as 2011 (according to Google Street View).


From Hawaii Route 378/Haleakala the Kailau Gulch Jeep Trail can still be identified (behind the pylons) near the Haleakala National Park boundary.  It isn't clear if the Kailau Gulch Jeep Trail can still be used to reach Maui County Route 390.  


Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The rogue G28-2 California State Highway Spades

By
In this short blog we look at the somewhat rare but not unheard-of rogue G28-2 California State Highway Spades affixed to guide signs. Part 1; what is the G28-2 California State Highway Spade?  The  Caltrans Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices Sign Chart from 2014  ("Caltrans MUTCD") dictates the types of signs and highway shields permitted for traffic control use in California.  California is known for it's more ornate cut-out shields which are used for, US Routes, Interstate Highways, and State Routes.  These shields are intended to be applied as standalone reassurance signs but aren't explicitly limited to said function and occasionally appear in error on guide signs.  The common shields which are typically found through California are: US Route:  G26-2 Interstate:  G27-2 State Highway:  G28-2 The Caltrans MUTCD provides alternative shields for, US Routes, Interstate Highways, and State Routes.  These alternative shields are intended for guide sign usage.  Th
Post a Comment
Read more

Former Greater Pittsburgh International Airport Terminal

By
For just over four decades, the former main terminal of Greater Pittsburgh International Airport was the city's gateway to the world.  Located nearly 20 miles west of Downtown Pittsburgh, the Joseph Hoover-designed terminal would see millions of travelers pass through its doors.  Known best for the terrazzo compass in the main lobby, the terminal had many other distinguishing features.  The well-landscaped entrance led up to the curved stepped design of the terminal. Each level of the terminal would extend out further than the other allowing for numerous observation decks.  The most popular observation deck, the "Horizon Room", was located on the fourth floor. The former Greater Pittsburgh Airport Terminal - October 1998 From when it opened in the Summer of 1952 until its closing on September 30, 1992, the terminal would grow from a small regional airport to the main hub for USAir.  The terminal would see numerous expansions and renovations over its 40 years of
2 comments
Read more

Highways in and around Old Sacramento; US 40, US 99W, CA 16, CA 24, CA 70, CA 99, CA 275, and more

By
This past weekend I was visiting the City of Sacramento for a wedding.  That being the case I decided to head out on a morning run through Old Sacramento, Jibboom Street Bridge, I Street Bridge, Tower Bridge, and path of US Route 40/US Route 99W towards the California State Capitol.  My goal was to retrace the paths of the various highways that once traversed the Old Sacramento area. This blog is part of the larger Gribblenation US Route 99 Page.  For more information pertaining to the other various segments of US Route 99 and it's three-digit child routes check out the link the below. Gribblenation US Route 99 Page The old highway alignments of Sacramento The City of Sacramento lies at the confluence of the Sacramento River and American River in Sacramento Valley.  Sacramento Valley was discovered by Spanish Explorer Gabriel Moraga in 1808.  Moraga referred to the fertile Sacramento Valley akin to a "Blessed Sacrament."  By 1839 John Sutter Sr. settled in Mexican held
Post a Comment
Read more