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Hawaii Route 541

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Hawaii Route 541 is the shortest State Highway on the island of Kauai at 0.37 miles.  This highway begins at Hawaii Route 50 (Kaumaualii Highway) in Eleele and follows Waialo Road the commercial facilities at Port Allen.  Hawaii Route 541 is one of the original 1955-era Hawaii Routes designated for Kauai and functionally has never been altered.  Port Allen is the second largest commercial port on Kauai and was originally constructed in 1906 as the head of the Kauai Railway.  


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 Hawaii Route 541

Hawaii Route 541 serves Port Allen which is located on Hanapepe Bay in the community of Eleele.  Said port was constructed in 1906 as Eleele Landing.  The port facility served as the head of the narrow-gauge Kauai Railway.  The then new port facility and Kauai Railway permitted direct shipping access to the sugar plantations at Koloa and Kalaheo. 

In 1909 Eleele Landing was renamed as Port Allen.  The new name was intended to honor Honolulu businessman Samuel Clesson Allen.  Allen was originally a resident of Maine who was a ship owner and invested heavily in development of a port in Hanapepe Bay.  Port Allen Airport became the first passenger air terminal on Kauai which began service on November 12, 1929. 

During the 1930s Port Allen would see an influx of lumber imports onto Kauai.  The port was used extensively in 1935 for the offloading of timber to be used by the Civilian Conservation Corps for construction of their camp at Kokee.  

Despite the Kauai Railway shuttering in 1947 the facility at Port Allen would remain popular to ship sugar exports from.  In 1948 the United States Army Corps of Engineers would undertake several projects to modernize the facility.  The Army constructed a 1,126-foot-long breakwater, excavate a 35-foot trench and 500-foot harbor entrance. 

In 1955 the Hawaii Route System was expanded to Kauai.  Hawaii Route 541 was assigned to Waialo Road which connected Hawaii Route 50 (Kaumaulii Highway) in Eleele to Port Allen.  

Functionally Hawaii Route 541 has never changed and can be seen in detail on the 1963 United States Geological Survey map of Hanapepe.  Port Allen in modern times is the second largest commercial port on Kauai. 




Part 2; a drive on Hawaii Route 541

Hawaii Route 541 begins at Hawaii Route 50 in Eleele.  



Hawaii Route 541 is the shortest state highway on Kauai at 0.37 miles.  The highway follows Waialo Road southward to the entrance to the Port Allen Commercial Pier where it terminates.






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