The Maui news. [volume] (Wailuku, Maui, H.I.) 1900-current, 1920-12-17
.Pauwela-Pea Road
Is in Bad Condition
Complaint Says 1t Is One of
Worst Sections in All Maui;
Improvement Waits for Belt
Road Building.

Complaint of practically impossible
conditions on the Pauwela-Peahi road
have come to Maui News and have
been shown to Chairman Kalama of
the board of supervisors and County
Engineer Low both OF whom have Civ
en explanations as to why the condi-
ions complained of exist.
"One of the most important parts
of the county roads," says the. COM
plant, "and one of the worst, is the
Pauwela-Peahi division. During times
Of heavy rains recently the road has
been almost impossible at many
points.
This road is very important be
cause it connects Central Maui with
one of the most scenic spots on the
Valley Isle, the Ditch Trail, and be-
cause it is in the pineapple region.
Hennine's Gulch Dangerous
THE very worst and most danger
GUS part of the division is in the sec
ton known as Hennings Gulch. Both
sides are very steep and at the bot
tom is little, narrow, wooden bridge
just on the hair pin turn. The bridges
in this section are menace to public
safety.
AT the top of the double hill on
the Peahi side is another hairpin turn.
That side of the gulch is rarely ewes
dry and very few cars can climb out
of the gulch, when it is muddy, with
out more or elss trouble. There is a
large reservoir in the gulch and on
the night of the last Saturday in
November, a car skidded to the edge
of the pail where it, fortunately, hung
until hauled to safety next day.
-Four years ago the owner of land
adjoining the Peahi side of the gulch
was advised not TO plant trees on a
certain part of his land as the county
needed it to improve the road, to
widen that turn.
Chains Small Help
"The district school nurse has had
to turn back several times because of
the condition of the road through the
gulch Up to that point in the road,
chains are not needed but many cars
get stuck in the gulch in spite of
chains.
'Why use the slogan Back to the
Soil when such difficulties face one in
hauling his produce to market? Be
sides, this is a very beautiful part of
the country where many desire to
come for outings but are restrained
from so doing by the fear of getting
caught in Henning's Gulch.'"
Would Eliminate Curve
County Engineer Low said the
bridge in the bottom of the gulch was
bad one but that there are plans so
eliminate that bridge and to straighten
the curve, a cut off of 200 feet or
more, which would cross the upper
end of the reservoir mentioned and
to have new bridge. AS TO the
double hill, he said the road there
should, he believed, be relocated. The
proposed cut off was before the board
of supervisors two or three months
ago but at that time the cost of the
bridge and of making the proposed
change deferred the board from TAX
ing favorable action.
Belt-Road First
Chairman Kalama also recalled the
fact that the question of changing the
road and building a bridge was before
the board a short time since. At
that time, the records of the board
show, it was decided that the most i'm
portant work was the building of the
DelI lOdu WulCn VIII ellHll0dle from
such road the section as to which
complaints are now made. Leading
down to the belt road from Peahi way
will be series of latterals which will
tap most of that country Such roads
Mr.. Kalama believes, will be generally
used by those who have occasion to
haul produce. As to the section of
road now complained of, it will be of
benefit, he said to only two or three
families and he did not think its use
fulness would warrant any great ex-
penditure now.
Mr.. Kalama agreed that the road is
in bad condition in periods of rain and
said the Haiku Fruit Company was
undertaking to maintain it in as fair
condition as possible by hauling gravel
to and dumping it upon the worst
parts. With the building of the belt
road through that section and its paw
ing, as is planned by the county and
upon which work is to be pushed in
the near future, he thinks sources for
complaint will be removed.
Mr.. Low had said that bad as is the
section complained of, it is imprac-
ticable to pave it now when there is
road leading up to it that is still un-
paved