Transportation in Hawaii

The transportation system of Hawaiʻi is a mix of different ways people and things move around. Because the islands are separated by water, many people rely on cars to get where they need to go. But the state is also trying new ideas to help people walk or ride bikes more easily.

One important step came from a special case called Navahine v. Hawaii Department of Transportation. This case asked the Hawaii Department of Transportation (HDOT) to think differently about how people travel. The court said HDOT should try to use cars less, add more bus and train services, and build safe paths for walking and biking.

In Honolulu, a big new project started in 2023. It’s called the Skyline light rail system. This is a train that runs above the streets and helps many people get around the city without using a car. Work is already happening to make this train even bigger and reach more places.

Transit systems

Rail

Hawaiʻi once had many railroads on its larger islands. These helped move farm goods and people. They started after a special law was made. Most of these railroads had narrow tracks, but some had different sizes. One famous train, called Lanakila, went from Honolulu to Mānana and was ridden by a former leader. The biggest railroad was the Oahu Railway and Land Company. It helped move troops and goods during World War II. This railroad stopped running in 1947, but some tracks are still there today.

Honolulu wanted to build a new rail system since the 1960s. In the mid-2000s, plans were made for a light metro line. Construction began in 2011 and faced many delays. Finally, the Skyline rail opened in 2023.

Bus

Each major island in Hawaiʻi has a public bus system. TheBus serves Oʻahu, Hele-On serves Hawaiʻi Island and County, Maui Bus serves Maui, and The Kauai Bus serves Kauaʻi County.

Roads and freeways

A system of state highways goes around each main island in Hawaii. Only Oʻahu has federal highways and is the only place outside the main 48 states to have signed Interstate highways. Travel can be slow because the roads are narrow and winding, and cities can get crowded.

Hawaii has several important bridges and tunnels. The Admiral Clarey Bridge, also called the Ford Island Bridge, is a special floating bridge that lets ships pass through. There are also several tunnels on Oʻahu, such as the Hospital Rock Tunnels, John H. Wilson Tunnels, Nuʻuanu Pali Tunnels, and Tetsuo Harano Tunnels, which help connect different parts of the island.

In the past, people used steamships and ferries to travel between the islands. Today, there are passenger ferry services in Maui County and cruise ships that travel between the islands.

Pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure

The State of Hawaii Department of Transportation (HDOT) has a detailed plan to help people walk safely. They also have a "toolbox" with ideas to make streets better for walking.

HDOT makes a plan for biking every few years. The first plan came out in 1977, and they updated it in 1994, 2003, and 2022. You can see a map on their website showing where people can bike now and in the future.

In 2023, after many traffic accidents in 2022, the Hawaii State Legislature passed Safe Routes to School legislation. This aims to make walking safer, improve sidewalks, and encourage people to walk or bike instead of using cars.

Airports

Honolulu International Airport is the main airport in Hawaiʻi, offering flights to North America, Asia, and Oceania. Within Hawaiʻi, airlines like Hawaiian Airlines, Mokulele Airlines, and Go! fly between big airports such as Honolulu, Līhuʻe, Kahului, Kona, and Hilo using jet planes. Smaller airports are served by Island Air and Pacific Wings, and these airlines also help move goods between the islands.