Skip to main content

Hawaii Route 250

By

Hawaii Route 250 is a 19.3-mile highway located on the Big Island.  The corridor begins at Hawaii Route 19 in Waimea and terminates at Hawaii Route 270 in Hawi.  The corridor of Hawaii Route 250 crosses Kohala Mountain via the so-called Kohala Mountain Road and descends into Hawi via Hawi Road.  Kohala Mountain Road was the original overland highway to Hawi and was originally assigned as Hawaii Route 25 when the Hawaii Route System was expanded to the Big Island in 1955.  


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 250

The majority of Hawaii Route 250 traverses Kohala Mountain Road between Waimea and Hawi.  Kohala Mountain is an extinct shield volcano which makes up the northwest portion of the Big Island.  The mountain is thought to have breached the Pacific Ocean approximately 500,000 years ago and was last active approximately 120,000 years ago.  Much of the northeast portion of the mountain collapsed via a massive landslide approximately 250,000-300,000 years ago.  Currently Kohala Mountain rises to 5,480 feet above sea level.  

The 1912 United States Geological Survey Map of Kohala displays Hawi and Waimea connected by the "Waimea-Kona Road."  This road essentially is an overlay for the modern corridor of Kohala Mountain Road. 



Kohala Mountain Road can be seen prominently displayed as the only road to Hawi on the 1930 Hilo Chamber of Commerce map of the Big Island.  


In 1955 the Hawaii Route System was expanded to the Big Island.  The existing highway between Waimea-Hawi via Kawaihae Road, Kohala Mountain Road and Hawi Road was assigned as Hawaii Route 25.  Hawaii Route 25 appears on the 1959 Gousha Highway map of Hawaii.  


In 1975 Hawaii Route 19 was moved to the then new Queen Kaahumanu Highway.  The new alignment also consumed parts of Hawaii Routes 26 and 25 along Kawaihae Road.  Hawaii Route 25 was renumbered to Hawaii Route 250 and truncated to begin at Kohala Mountain Road in Waimea.  For this reason, Hawaii Route 250 begins at Mile Marker 2.6 rather than 0. 

Hawaii Route 250 can be seen on the 1975 United States Geological Survey map of the Big Island.




Part 2; a drive on Hawaii Route 250

Northbound Hawaii Route 250 begins on the western outskirts of Waimea as Kawaihae Road meets Kohala Mountain Road.  Northbound Hawaii Route 250 begins at Mile Marker 2.6. 




Northbound Hawaii Route 250 quickly ascends Kohala Mountain above Waimea.  A sweeping vista of Kailua-Kona can be seen facing south and the looming Mauna Kea can be seen to the west.  




















Northbound Hawaii Route 250 has a signed vista which faces over the northwest corner of the Big Island.















Hawaii Route 250 crests at an elevation of 3,564 feet above sea level near Kahua Ranch. 




Hawaii Route 250 passes by Kahau Ranch Road.  










Hawaii Route 250 crosses to the northern side of Kohala Mountain and drops below 3,000 feet above sea level.














Hawaii Route 250 approaches the end of Kohala Road at the intersection of Hawi Road and Kynnersley Road.  The highway turns left on Hawi Road towards Hawi. 











Northbound Hawaii Route 250 descends Hawi Road and terminates at Hawaii Route 270 in Hawi.  The terminus of Hawaii Route 250 is located at Mile Marker 21.8.  The Hawi townsite is located near the birthplace of Kamehameha I along the windward side of Kohala Mountain.  The modern community was founded as a company town of the Kohala Sugar Company.  Kohala Sugar began operations on the Big Island in 1863 and was active in Hawi until 1973.  










Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Rep. Sue Myrick's letter to Gov. Easley and Sect. Tippett published in Charlotte Observer

By
US. Representative Sue Myrick's (R-Charlotte) letter to North Carolina's Governor Mike Easley and NC Transportation Secretary Lyndo Tippett was published in the Friday, November 30th edition of the Charlotte Observer . Why are we delaying the completion of 1-485 in Charlotte again? I read in The Charlotte Observer how rising prices of materials are leading to the delay. Why didn't these same rising costs delay the loops in Fayetteville and Wilmington? Why are we building loops in Fayetteville and Wilmington before we complete the one in Charlotte? We were working on the one in Charlotte back when I was mayor. That was 20 years ago! ... Last I looked Charlotte was the largest city in the state. There seems to be no recognition of that fact in Raleigh. No recognition that we are at a standstill with traffic. No recognition that we have a traffic problem. Nor is there any recognition of the fact that the state DOT utterly botched up the southern leg of our yet to be completed ...
Post a Comment
Read more

New River Gorge National Park & Preserve - Sandstone Falls

By
The New River, which runs through New River Gorge National Park & Preserve, is best known for its dramatic rapids and whitewater adventures.  Those features begin at one of the river's widest points: Sandstone Falls. From the Sandstone Falls Boardwalk a look at just a small part of the falls. Though the vertical drop of roughly 20 feet is less than many other well-known waterfalls in the state, the falls' expanse, where the river approaches 1500 feet wide, makes Sandstone Falls impressive.   The Boardwalk Trail leads to a better vantage point of the overall falls. It is a great spot for photography, fishing, or laying out in the sun. Access to the falls is relatively easy: from Hinton, cross the New River on Highway 20, then turn right onto CR 26 and follow New River Road to the Sandstone Falls Parking Area. The Island Loop Trail is a short detour off the Boardwalk Trail and shows a quieter side of the area. At Sandstone Falls, you will find a variety of activities fr...
Post a Comment
Read more

I-90 in Albany, New York and the Berkshire Spur

By
Today's Albany Times Union has a segment in their weekly Getting There? column that explains some of the history behind how I-90 is designated in the Albany, NY area as well as the Berkshire Spur. The long and short of the article was that I-90 was originally designated on the unsigned portion of the Berkshire Spur, but as free I-90 was built, the designation was moved onto the free portion of road. Additionally, there were talks in 1999 between state and federal officials about the possibility of moving I-90 back onto the unsigned portion of the Berkshire Spur, while extending I-88 onto what we know as free I-90. There would have also had been an I-88/I-90 multiplex between Rotterdam and Albany as a result. http://www.timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=916307
Post a Comment
Read more