Hawaii Route 51

Hawaii Route 51 is an approximately 3.4-mile State Highway on the island of Kauai. Hawaii Route 51 begins at Hawaii Route 56 (Kuhio Highway) and follows Kapule Highway southward into Lihue. Within Lihue the corridor of Hawaii Route 51 follows Rice Street and Waapa Road to a terminus at Hawaii Route 58 at Nawiliwili Bay.

The portion of Hawaii Route 51 now aligned on Rice Street was originally part of Hawaii Route 50. Hawaii Route 51 was designated during the early 1970s when Hawaii Route 50 was truncated back to Hawaii Route 56 in downtown Lihue. The extension of Hawaii Route 51 along Kapule Highway was built in segments which was fully complete by August 1988. Kapule Highway serves as a bypass of downtown Lihue which permits direct access to Lihue Airport from Kapaa.

Pictured as the blog cover is the Old Rice Street Bridge at Nawiliwili Stream. This bridge was constructed in 1920 and was replaced by the current span carrying Hawaii Route 51 circa 1933.

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Part 2; the history of Hawaii Route 51

Hawaii Route 570 serves as the main entrance to Lihue Airport by way of Ahukini Road. The origin of Lihue Airport began in 1944 when the Civil Aeronautics Administration deemed Port Allen Airport as being insufficient to accommodate even two-engine aircraft. The Civil Aeronautics Administration was unwilling to commit money into Port Allen Airport after World War II. The Hawaiian Territorial Department of Public Works also made a determination that Barking Sands Field was too far away from the population centers of Kauai.

Three sites for Class IV airport were considered at Lihue, Port Allen and Makahuena Point. During July 1946 the Territorial Department of Public Works made a formal recommendation for a new airport at Lihue. Ultimately legislation was passed by the territorial government to fund construction of Lihue Airport during 1947, and construction groundbreaking ceremony would be held on October 28, 1948. The runway facilities at Lihue Airport would be complete by October 1949 which was followed by completion of the terminal building during January 1950. Existing Ahukini Road served as the then new airport entrance road.

Lihue Airport can be seen served by Ahukini Road on the 1954 United States Geological Survey map of Kauai. Ahukini Road would later become Hawaii Route 57 from Kuhio Highway east to the Lihue Airport entrance. The corridor and is now designated as Hawaii Route 570.

In 1955 the Hawaii Route System was expanded to Kauai. Hawaii Route 50 was designated the primary highway along the southern shore of the island. Hawaii Route 50 began at Bonham Air Force Base near Mana and followed Kaumauli Highway eastward into downtown Lihue. From downtown Lihue the corridor of Hawaii Route 50 followed Rice Street to Hawaii Route 501 near the port facilities at Nawiliwili Bay. Hawaii Route 50 from Bonham Air Force Base to Lihue can be seen on the 1959 Gousha Highway map of Kauai. On August 21, 1959, Hawaii became the 50th State.

Hawaii Route 50 along Rice Street can be seen in detail on the 1963 United States Geological Survey map of Lihue.

During the early 1970s Rice Street was renumbered as Hawaii Route 51. The corridor was partially realigned by the early 1980s when the first segment of Kapule Highway between Rice Street and Hawaii Route 570 (Ahukini Road) was constructed. This realignment is captured on the 1983 United States Geological Survey map of Lihue.

Hawaii Route 51 was extended north of Hawaii Route 570 to Hawaii Route 56 (Kuhio Highway) following the completion of Kapule Highway during August 1988. The extension of Kapule Highway bypassed Lihue which served to give Kapaa a direct link with Lihue Airport.

Part 2; a drive on Hawaii Route 51

Southbound Hawaii Route 51 begins at Hawaii Route 56 (Kuhio Highway) near Hanamaulu. Nawiliwili is signed as being 3 miles away.

Southbound Hawaii Route 51 follows Kapule Highway over Hamamaulu Stream and intersects Hawaii Route 570 at the entrance of Lihue Airport.

Southbound Hawaii Route 51 follows Kapule Highway and turns left on Rice Street.

Southbound Hawaii Route 51 follows Rice Street towards Nawiliwili Stream. The old 1920-era Rice Street Bridge can be found serving as part of the Paena Loop. The bridge currently carrying Hawaii Route 51 over Nawiliwili Stream was constructed in 1933.

An Ahukini Terminal & Railway bridge also can be found at Nawiliwili Stream. This narrow-gauge railroad line operated from 1920-1959 from Nawiliwili Bay north to Anahola.