Hawaii Route 197

Hawaii Route 197 currently is a 1.2 mile partially complete state highway located on the Big Island near Kona International Airport. The corridor as presently constructed originates at Hawaii Route 19 and follows Kealakehe Parkway east to a dead-end at Keanalehu Drive. The corridor of Hawaii Route 197 has a proposed extension which would terminate 1.9 miles to the east at Hawaii Route 190 and connect with the great Mamalahoa Highway.

Part 1; the history of Hawaii Route 197

The planned corridor of Hawaii Route 197 (Kealakehe Parkway) is 3.1 miles in scale and would connect Hawaii Route 19 (Queen Kaahumanu Highway) near Kona International Airport east to Hawaii Route 190 (Mamalahoa Highway). The intent of the corridor is to replace the functionally obsolete Palani Drive (Hawaii Route 190) as the primary connector to Mamalahoa Highway.

The adoption of Hawaii Route 197 into the state highway system is not fully clear, but likely came during the 1980s. The highway appears complete from Hawaii Route 19 east to Keanalehu Drive (approximately 1.2-miles) on the 1998 United States Geological Survey map (courtesy historicaerials.com).

The remaining unconstructed portion of Hawaii Route 197 from Keanalehu Drive east to Hawaii Route 190/Mamalahoa Highway on the current Hawaii Department of Transportation log for the Big Island. The corridor is planned to tie into Mamalahoa Highway south the junction of Hawaii Route 190 and Hawaii County Route 180. The status of the unconstructed portion of Hawaii Route 197 is unclear as it remained unaltered on the 2012 state of Hawaii Federal-Aid System logs.

Part 2; a drive on Hawaii Route 197

Hawaii Route 197 eastbound begins at the intersection of Hawaii Route 19 at Kealakehe Parkway. There are no reassurance shields altering traffic to the presence of Hawaii Route 197.

Hawaii Route 197 ascends eastbound to a dead-end at Keanalehu Drive. The corridor has no Hawaii Route 197 signage or mile markers. Overhead the peak of Hualalai can be seen looking in the distance.

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