Hawaii County Route 240 is a 9.6-mile highway located on the Hamakua Coast of the Big Island. The highway begins at Hawaii Route 19 near Honokaa and tracks westward to Waipio Valley Road. Hawaii County Route 240 was originally designated as Hawaii Route 24 when the Hawaii Route System was expanded to the Big Island in 1955. The corridor was later renumbered to Hawaii Route 240 during the 1970s and has been recently relinquished to Hawaii County in recent years. The infamous Waipio Valley Road is a 0.9-mile roadway which spans from the terminus of Hawaii County Route 240 to the floor of Waipio Valley. The roadway is signed with a 25% gradient (seen in the blog cover photo) and sustains an almost nearly 20% grade to the valley floor. Traditionally Waipio Valley Road was open to Four Wheel Drive vehicles and hikers. Access was restricted to Hawaii County residents and registered tour operators in 2022 due to safety concerns over slope s...
Because every road has a story.