WAIKOLOA VILLAGE, Hawaii – A long awaited road project in Waikoloa Village has been completed. This media release on the new Paniolo Avenue extension was issued by the County of Hawaii.

Hawai’i County Mayor Billy Kenoi today joined the Waikoloa Village community to celebrate the Paniolo Avenue extension with a blessing that celebrated another new road in West Hawai’i, and fulfillment of a long-standing promise to the Waikoloa community.

The nearly three-quarter mile long road was built by landowner Waikoloa Heights Land Investors, whose principals are Bruce Bell and Jim Zurbuchen. Waikoloa Heights Land Investors agreed to complete the project at the county’s request.

“Two promises were made nearly 26 years ago,” Mayor Kenoi said. “Those promises were that the county would build affordable housing for Waikoloa Beach Resort workers, and that Paniolo Avenue would be extended. Today those promises have been fulfilled.”

The road extends from the Ho’oko Street traffic light near Waikoloa School to the Kamakoa Nui subdivision and Kamakoa Nui Park.

The extension of Paniolo Avenue was first promised in March 1988, when former landowner Transcontinental Development deeded to the county 300 acres to meet an affordable housing requirement for Waikoloa Beach Resort. That deed agreement included a requirement that the Paniolo Avenue extension be built within five years. The obligation to construct the road passed to present landowner Waikoloa Heights Land Investors in July 1990.

As the county completed its first affordable housing units in Kamakoa Nui, the County expressed to WHLI the need for the Paniolo Avenue extension. WHLI agreed late last year to complete an interim road in conjunction with its overall plans for the Waikoloa Heights residential subdivision.

In the years ahead, the two-lane road constructed by Goodfellow Brothers Inc. will be widened to a four-lane road with connections to Queen Ka’ahumanu Highway and Kawaihae Road.County of Hawaii