HILO, Hawaii – The Kapi’olani Street Extension is now open.

The new, $14.1 million dollar road that connects Lanikaula Street to Mohouli Street in the area of the University of Hawaii-Hilo was blessed after a ceremony attended by Mayor Billy Kenoi and other dignitaries.

The extension enables a path parallel to the busy Kinoole Street and Kilauea Avenue, connecting Kawili Street to Waianuenue Avenue.

The route is notable in that it will connect Waiakea High School and the University of Hawai’i at Hilo on the Kawili Street end to Downtown Hilo and Hilo High School on the Waianuenue Avenue end. It also opens up additional land belonging to the University of Hawai’i at Hilo to be used for additional student housing at the growing institution.

(The Kapi’olani Street Extension) includes a two-lane roadway with bike lanes and sidewalks, a bridge across Waiakea Stream, traffic signals at the intersections with Lanikaula and Mohouli Streets, and improvements to sidewalks and turn lanes near the new intersections. Project improvements span over a mile.

Students from the Waiakea High School Hawaiian Club walked the new extension to deliver their mahalo during the ceremony.