Hawaii Route 1370 is a short state highway which exists in the Hilo area. The corridor is comprised of a former section of Hawaii Routes 12 and 120 along Kalanianaole Street from Kuhio Street 0.2 miles east to Pua Avenue. Hawaii Route 12 and 120 once continued east to the end of Kalanianaole Street. The corridor was once planned to be connected to Hawaii County Route 137 via a coastal roadway which was proposed as an evacuation route.
The history of Hawaii Route 1370, Hawaii Route 12 and Hawaii Route 120
Kalanianaole Street is the primary street in Hilo which services the facilities along Kuhio Bay. The corridor can be seen originating at Kamehameha Avenue on the 1930 Hilo Chamber of Commerce map of the streets Hilo.
In 1955 the Hawaii Route System was expanded to the Big Island. Kalanianaole Street was assigned as Hawaii Route 19 from Kamehameha Avenue to Kuhio Street. East of Kuhio Street the remaining corridor of Kalanianole Street to Lehia Beach was assigned as Hawaii Route 12.
Hawaii Route 12 can be seen on the 1959 Gousha Highway map of Hawaii.
According to Oscar Voss's hawaiihighways.com a 1961 era Hawaii Department of Transportation document showed a proposed extension of Hawaii Route 12 renumbered as Hawaii Route 120. The corridor was planned corridor was branded as the 'Hilo-Keaukaha Escape Road." The extension would have followed the shoreline east of Hilo and gradually looped back to Hawaii Route 11 (Kanoelehua Avenue) approximately where present-day Puainako Street now is located. Hawaii Route 120 would have tied in with a planned northern extension of Hawaii County Route 137 (Kaimu-Kapoho Road).
Hawaii Route 120 can be seen in detail on the 1963 United States Geological Survey map. The corridor is shown beginning at Hawaii Route 19/Kuhio Street and extended east to the end of Kalanianaole Street.
A 2005 draft Hawaii County planning document rejected a coastal highway connecting the Hilo and Puna districts. The rationale for rejection was that the proposed road would be inordinately vulnerable to tsunamis and lava flows. Following the release of the document the Hawaii Department of Transportation relinquished much of Hawaii Route 120 save for the section between Kuhio Street and Pua Avenue. The remaining balance of Kalanianole Street east of Pua Avenue was reassigned as a disconnected segment of Hawaii County Route 137.
Kalanianole Street from Kuhio Street to Pua Avenue was renumbered as Hawaii Route 1370 in reference to Hawaii County Route 137. The corridor was kept in the state highway system to provide a Hawaii Department of Transportation maintained connection from the Port of Hilo Entrance (Hawaii Route 19 at Kuhio Street) east to the University of Hawaii at Hilo Pacific Aquaculture & Coastal Resources Center.
Below Hawaii Route 1370 can be seen on the 2022 Hawaii Department of Transportation map of the Big Island. The 0.2-mile highway is not sign posted in-field.
Below Kalanianole Street can be seen east from Silva Street and Kuhio Street (Hawaii Route 19). The corridor of Hawaii Route 1370 ends a short distance ahead at Pua Avenue.
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