PUNA DELEGATION UNIFIES TO SECURE HISTORIC FUNDING FOR ALTERNATE ROUTE

Puna, Hawaiʻi – Members of the Hawaiʻi State Legislature are proud to announce the successful securing of $2.5 million in funding for the Puna Alternate Route Study in HB 300 CD1, the state’s biennium budget bill for fiscal years 2026 and 2027. The funds will support a study to identify potential locations for an alternate access route into Puna, which would improve emergency response, reduce residents’ commute times, and alleviate traffic congestion in the area. 

“Hawaiʻi Island legislators came together this legislative session with a unified purpose: to secure funding for an alternate route that will benefit Puna residents,” said Representative Greggor Ilagan (House D-4 Puna). “This funding will help plan a new route to ease traffic and provide emergency access during natural disasters. On behalf of my community, I extend a warm mahalo to both the House Finance and Senate Ways and Means committees for including the appropriation in the final version of HB 300 CD1, which passed out of conference committee on Monday, April 21.” 

In the 2025 Legislative Session, Representative Ilagan successfully secured $1.5 million in funding for the Puna Makai Alternate Route, the portion closer to the coastal areas in his district. Representative Ilagan noted that the need for an alternate route has been a top priority for Puna residents, consistently emerging as the most requested issue during the 48 town halls his office has hosted in Puna Makai over the past four years. 

Representative Jeanne Kapela and House Majority Caucus Leader Chris Todd led efforts to secure $1 million in state funding for the Puna Mauka Alternate Route, aiming at addressing the mountain side of the area. This allocation is contingent upon an additional $1 million in matching funds from Hawaiʻi County. 

“This funding is critical to evaluating the feasibility of this long-needed route for the Puna community,” said Representative Jeanné Kapela (House D-5 Portions of Kea‘au and Kurtistown, Mountain View, Glenwood, Fern Forest, Volcano, Pāhala, Punalu‘u, Nā‘ālehu, Wai‘ōhinu, Hawaiian Ocean View, Ho‘okena). “Our residents deserve safe and reliable routes, which would deliver an improved quality of life.” 

“This study has been long awaited and will explore alternatives to reduce the community’s dependence on Highway 130, the only major transportation artery in Puna and a common source of traffic congestion,” added House Majority Caucus Leader Chris Todd (House D-3 Portion of Hilo, Keaukaha, Orchidlands Estate, Ainaloa, Hawaiian Acres, Fern Acres, portions of Kurtistown and Kea‘au). 

Representative Ilagan emphasizes that these efforts were made possible thanks to the strong support of Senator Joy A. San Buenaventura, whose advocacy in the Hawaiʻi Senate was instrumental in securing both sources of funding. 

“This funding represents a major step toward addressing one of Puna’s most pressing needs - safe and reliable access,” said Senator Joy A. San Buenaventura (Senate D-2, Puna). “For too long, our community has relied on a single highway that becomes dangerously congested during daily commutes and natural disasters. I’m proud to have worked alongside my House colleagues to secure this investment and ensure the voices of Puna residents were heard loud and clear.” 

HB 300 CD1 now advances to a final reading in both the House and Senate before heading to the Governor’s desk for signature. 

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