Skip to main content

Kalākaua Avenue, Honolulu

By

Kalākaua Avenue ("Kalakaua Avenue") is a major city street in the City of Honolulu on the Hawaiian island of O'ahu.  Kalakaua Avenue originates in the neighborhood of Makiki near Interstate H-1.  Kalakaua Avenue follows a generally eastward course through McCully-Moiliili over the Ala Wai Canel into Waikiki.  Kalakaua Avenue through Waikiki is generally a one-way through road which terminates near Diamond Head Crater.


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; a brief history of Kalākaua Avenue 

What is now Kalakaua Avenue has been the main point of entry into Waikiki since the 19th Century when it was known as Waikiki Road.  Stage service opened for service on Waikiki Road during 1868 which was replaced by a horse driven tramcar system in 1888.  Below Waikiki Road can be seen on the 1881 C.J. Lyons Map of O'ahu.

Waikiki Road can be seen as the main highway through Waikiki on the 1899 J.T. Taylor Map of O'ahu.


During 1901 electric trolley service opened on Waikii Road.  Waikiki Road was renamed during 1908 to Kalakaua Avenue in honor of the last King of Hawaii Kalākaua.  Kalakaua Avenue modernized significantly upon the completion of the Ala Wai Canal in 1928.  The Ala Wai Canal shunted stream run off into Waikiki which allowed it to transform from a wet land into the tourism district of Honolulu.  

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 Kalakaua Avenue in Waikiki was assigned as part of Hawaii Route 101.  Kalakaua Avenue was an important military connector due to the presence of Fort DeRussy in Waikiki and Fort Ruger at Diamond Head Crater.  


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.  Kalakaua Avenue was not retained as a Hawaii Route and did not receive a new designation.  Kalakaua Avenue can be seen on the 1959 Shell Highway Map of Hawaii without a Hawaii Route designation.  





Part 2; exploring Kalākaua Avenue 

From Interstate H-1 traffic is directed to use Exit 23 onto Punahoa Street to reach Waikiki.


From Punahoa Street southbound traffic can access Kalakaua Avenue by turning west onto Beretania Street.  From westbound Beretania Street traffic can access Kalakaua Avenue southbound.  




Kalakaua Avenue southbound passes through Makiki and McCully-Moiliili to the Ala Wai Canal into Waikiki.  





Within Waikiki southbound Kalakaua Avenue becomes a one-way street and intersects Hawaii Route 92 at Ala Moana Boulevard at Fort DeRussy.  



The Fort DeRussy Military Reservation in Waikiki is under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Army but functions more as a park during modern times.  Fort DeRussy was originally constructed during 1911 along with Battery Randolph.  Battery Randolph now houses the U.S. Army Museum of Hawaii.















From Fort DeRussy Beach one can see how much Diamond Head Crater towers of Waikiki.  


Kalakaua Avenue has several all-way pedestrian crossings such as the one below at Lewers Street.


Featured below is a Blue Stop Sign seen at Lauula Street and Lewers Street just east of Kalakaua Avenue. Blue Stop Signs are typically seen in Hawaii on private drives given the State prohibits official looking signage.


Kalakaua Avenue southbound at Royal Hawaiian Center Avenue.




Part 3; Roadwaywiz Kalākaua Avenue

During June of 2019 Dan Murphy of the Roadwaywiz Youtube Channel (and Gribblenation) featured real-time drives on Kalakaua Avenue. Below Kalakaua Avenue can be viewed headed eastbound during the daytime.


Below Kalakaua Avenue can be viewed headed eastbound during the nighttime.


Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The case to move Interstate 73 in Southern Ohio onto US 33

By
Every decade or so, Ohio pushes to revisit the proposed Interstate 73 that would connect Michigan to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.  It's been happening since Congress legislated the route in 1991.  Within Ohio, Interstate 73 generally follows the US 23 corridor from Portsmouth through Columbus to Toledo, and into Michigan. Since High Priority Corridor Five was created , Ohio has really done nothing to move forward with Interstate 73.  Sure, there have been feasibility studies here and there.  But actual dollars and construction just haven't occurred. The US 33 Nelsonville Bypass appears to have been built to Interstate standards. However, Ohio has been slowly upgrading US 33 to a full freeway through Southeastern Ohio.  Bypasses of Lancaster and Nelsonville opened in 2004 and 2013, respectively.  Other sections of two-lane road are being twinned, some to freeway or, at a minimum, to expressway standards.  Currently, a $274 million widening project in...
Post a Comment
Read more

Local Sign Find - The last remnant of Business Interstate 95 between Kenly and Rocky Mount , NC

By
As you head north on Interstate 95 at Exit 107 for Kenly and US 301, you'll notice something odd about the overhead sign for the exit.  Peeling off the sign for all that can see is the word 'NORTH' off-center from the US 301.  This old sign (probably close to original from when this section of I-95 opened - more on that in a little bit) gives a hint to a short-lived Business Interstate Route that ran from here to Rocky Mount. The last hint of the Kenly-Wilson-Rocky Mount Business I-95 (Shaun White - August 2020) Interstate 95 in North Carolina has a unique history.  But one of the overlooked and forgotten pieces of Interstate 95 in North Carolina is the 38 mile section between Kenly and Rocky Mount.  When opened to traffic in late 1978, it was the next to last piece of Interstate 95 in North Carolina to open replacing a four lane US 301 from Battleboro through Rocky Mount and Wilson to eventually tying back into the Interstate in Kenly. Though it was not delayed in l...
Post a Comment
Read more

Nostalgia fast food with style - Returning to Rax

By
Nostalgia. It sells. It evokes, and more accurately, warps memories of days gone by.  Things were better, simpler, and we eat it up. Nostalgia can make you drive three hours and over a hundred miles out of your way just to reconnect with a dying fast-food restaurant you last enjoyed in the early to mid-90s.  That person was me - that restaurant was Rax. I could go on about Rax's history, but in short, Rax was briefly a very popular roast beef fast-food chain.  Growing up in the 80s and early 90s in Western PA, Rax was the good fast-food spot.  The milkshakes.  (Personally, the chocolate chip milkshake was heaven.)  Uncle Alligator Kids Meal with the chocolate chip cookie. Take that McDonald's Happy Meal!  The fancy salad and hot foods bar.  Going to Rax was special.  Like so many similar restaurants, various investments, management decisions, etc., led Rax to almost disappear overnight.  By the time I graduated college in late 1999, abou...
Post a Comment
Read more