Hawaii Route 50 is the longest Sign Route on the island of Kauai at 32.6 miles. The entirety of Hawaii Route 50 is overlaid atop Kaumualii Highway from Lihue west to the Pacific Missile Range Facility at Barking Sands.
Hawaii Route 50 is one of the original 1955-era State Highway designations on Kauai. Much of the Kaumualii Highway corridor was constructed during the sugar plantation boom of the late Hawaiian Kingdom. The first tee beam bridge in Hawaii would be constructed along the Kaumualii Highway in 1911 at the Hanapepe. Much of this highway would be modernized to two-lane standards through the 1930s and 1940s.
This page is part of the Gribblenation Hawaii Roads series. A compellation of all Hawaii-related media from both Gribblenation and RoadwayWiz can be found by clicking here.
Part 1; the history of Hawaii Route 50 and Kaumualii Highway
Hawaii Route 50 is the longest highway on Kauai at 32.6 miles. The highway begins at Rice Street in downtown Lihue and follows Kaumualii Highway west along the southern coast of Kauai. The terminus of Hawaii Route 50 is located at Lio Road near the entrance to the Pacific Missile Range Facility at Barking Sands.
Kaumualii Highway is named after Kaumuali'i. Kaumiali'i was the last high chief of Kauai who reigned from 1793 to 1810. During his reign both Kauai and Nihau were ruled as an independent nation state. In 1810 Kauai became a vassal of Kamehameha's unified Kingdom of Hawaii. Kaumaul'i would continue to govern Kauai until his death on May 30, 1824.
Much of what became Kaumualii Highway was developed on Kauai during the Kingdom of Hawaii plantation boom. A functional highway from Lihue west to Mana is displayed prominently on the 1903 Hawaii Territory map of Kauai.
The history of Kuhio Highway is extensively documented in a United States Department of the Interior application to the National Register of Historical Places dated September 5, 2000. The application is heavily focused on the history of the portion of Kuhio Highway comprised by Hawaii Route 560 but also details much of the overall history of the Kauai Belt Road. The Kauai Belt Road includes Kaumualii Highway.
In 1911 the territorial legislature established a loan fund which provided revenue to construct belt roads on the Hawaiian Islands. A Loan Fund Commission was established for each inhabited island. The commission on Kauai was early to act and moved to construct numerous bridges over the island over the next five years to complete the Kauai Belt Road.
One of the first major modern highway projects on the Kauai Belt Road was at the Hanapepe River in the town of Hanapepe. During 1911-1912 the first tee beam bridge in the Hawaiian Islands was constructed over the river as part of the then new alignment of Kaumualii Highway. The 1911-Hanapepe River Bridge permitted automobile access to western Kauai when there had been none previously.
In 1915 completion of the Kauai Belt Road entered its final phase when Kauai County Supervisor proposed a $100,000 bond to construct the highway from Mana (near Barking Sands Beach) northeast to Haena (now Kauai County Route 552, Hawaii Route 550 and Kokee Road). The purpose of this bond was to accelerate roadway construction so that the Belt Road could be completed by 1917. It was estimated that the roadway wouldn't be finished until 1923 using Loan Fund Commission money. Ultimately the bond measure would fail to pass and the road between Mana-Haena would never be fully constructed.
During the late 1930s through the 1940s much of Kaumualii Highway would be rebuilt with modern bridge structures designed for two lane traffic. Major spans were erected westward from Lihue as follows:
1936 - A steel stringer bridge was constructed at Nawiliwili Stream.
1937 - A concrete slab bridge was constructed at Weoweopilau Stream.
1934 - A concrete slab bridge was constructed at Waihohonu Steam.
1934 - A tee beam bridge was constructed at Omao Stream.
1934 - A stringer bridge was constructed at Lawai Stream.
1938 - A tee beam bridge at the Hanapepe River was constructed to replace the 1911-era span (see below for more).
1948 - Tee beam bridges were constructed at Mahinauli Stream and Aakukui Stream.
1940 - A tee beam bridge was constructed at the Waimea River.
The 1938-era Hanapepe River Bridge along with the 1911-era span can both be seen in the below photo taken during 1941.
In 1955 the Hawaii Route System was expanded to Kauai. Hawaii Route 50 was assigned to the entire corridor of Kaumualii Highway from Lihue west to Bonham Air Force Base at Barking Sands. Early Hawaii Route 50 can be seen on the 1959 Gousha Highway map of Hawaii. Hawaii would become the 50th State on August 21, 1959.
During 1957 numerous concrete bridges would be constructed on Kaumualii Highway west of Waimea. These structures stood as some of the last major improvements constructed on Hawaii Route 50 during the remaining decades of the 20th Century. It is likely that early Hawaii Route 50 originally used Mana Road west of Kekaha. Mana Road is located near the former railroad line of the Kekaha Sugar Company west of Kekaha to Mana.
By 2014-2015 Kaumualii Highway from Rice Street in Lihue west to Anonui Street was widened to four-lane expressway standards. The original 1936-era Nawiliwili Stream Bridge was repurposed to carry eastbound Hawaii Route 50 traffic whereas the then new 2014 span was pressed into service for westbound traffic.
During October 2016 the Historic American Engineering Record filed a report on the 1938-era and 1911-era Hanapepe River Bridges. The 1938-era span was then up for replacement and would be replaced by the Hawaii Department of Transportation in 2019. The 1938-era span was demolished upon Hawaii Route 50 being realigned onto the new Hanapepe River Bridge.
Hawaii Route 50 appears on the Hawaii Department of Transportation inventory list for Kauai.
Part 2; a drive on Hawaii Route 50
Westbound Hawaii Route 50 begins at Lihue at Rice Street. Traffic transitions from the terminus of Hawaii Route 56 at Rice Street onto Hawaii Route 50. Lihue historically was a small village which has been continuously occupied since pre-European contact. The town was formally named in 1837 by Royal Governor Kaikio'ewa when he relocated the Kauai governing seat from Waimea. The town has remained a commercial hub on Kauai and was selected as the Kauai County upon it being created in 1905.
Hawaii Route 50 intersects Hawaii Route 58 at Nawiliwili Road.
Hawaii Route 50 passes through Puhi and narrows to two-lanes.
Hawaii Route 50 intersects Kauai County Route 520 at Knudson Gap. This county route permits access to the town of Koloa.
Hawaii Route 50 enters the community of Lawai where it intersects Kauai County Route 530 at Koloa Road.
Hawaii Route 50 passes through Kalaheo and intersects Hawaii Route 540.
As Hawaii Route 50 approaches Eleele it passes the opposite terminus of Hawaii Route 540.
Hawaii Route 50 enters Hanapepe and intersects the original alignment of the Kaumualii Highway at Hanapepe Road. Prior to European contact the Hanapepe River was the site of a major village along southern Kauai. The modern town site would begin to develop in 1880 when the Eleele Plantation was founded. Additional plantations would be founded by the end of the century which would consolidate with the McBryde Sugar Company in 1899. Hanapepe would develop into a modern town plot which was largely centered around Hanapepe Road and the 1911-Hanapepe River Bridge. A construction boom would take place in the 1920s through the early 1930s. Hanapepe is often cited as the inspiration for the unnamed town in the movie Lilo and Stitch.
Hawaii Route 50 crosses the 2019-era Hanapepe River Bridge and intersects Kauai County Route 543 at Lele Road.
Hawaii Route 50 crosses the numerous vacant sugar fields west of Hanapepe and crosses the Waimea River Bridge into the town of Waimea. On the eastern side of the Waimea River the site of Russian Fort Elizabeth can be found. The fortification was constructed in 1817 following a treaty between Kuamuali'i and Russian-American Company representative Georg Anton Schäffer. The site is considered significant due to it being the most prominent location from which Russia sought influence over the Hawaiian islands.
Hawaii Route 50 passes through Waimea and intersects Hawaii Route 550 at Waimea Canyon Road. Hawaii Route 550 provides the most direct access northward to Waimea Canyon and Kooke State Parks. Waimea was a major village and is most well-known for the landing of British Captain James Cook on January 20, 1778. The first Catholic mission in Hawaii was established at Waimea in 1820. Waimea would later become a center of sugar cane harvesting activity on western Kauai.
Hawaii Route 50 passes through Kekaha and intersects Kauai Route 552 at Akialoa Road. Hawaii Route 50 continues west of Kekaha and terminates at the end of Kaumualii Highway approaching Barking Sands. Commercial sugar cane harvesting in Kekaha would begin in 1878 via a venture started by Valdimir Knudson and Hans L'Orange. The pair obtained sugar lease agreements in nearby Mana in 1886 and began operating the first steam locomotives between the two towns in 1887. The two mills would consolidate as Kekaha Sugar Company in 1898. Kekaka Sugar Company would later be purchased by Amfac in 1975 and shuttered in 2000.
Comments