Budget bill includes funding for Puna alternate route studies

Funding for a study of alternate access traffic routes into Puna could be restored in the 2025-2026 state budget.

The latest version of the state’s budget bill, House Bill 300, includes funds for two Puna alternate route studies. The first would allocate $1.5 million in general obligation bonds to develop a Puna Makai Alternate Route Study.

The 2023 state budget previously allocated $1 million in state funds for such a study, but required a $500,000 match by Hawaii County. Those state funds unexpectedly lapsed in mid-2024, leaving the Legislature to have to allocate them again this year.

Puna Rep. Greggor Ilagan, a strong advocate for the funds in 2023, had previously expressed hope that the state could foot the entire bill for the study to avoid having to deal with the County Council, which he blamed for the funding lapse. This hope could come true: The $1.5 million allocation in this year’s budget bill does not include any county match.

The second item would allocate $1 million in general obligation bonds for a Puna Mauka Alternate Route Study. This would require a county match, in this case a dollar-for-dollar match, putting the full cost of the study at $2 million.

The council in 2024 rejected state funding for the Puna Makai study out of concerns it might consider lots managed by the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands.

In an effort to restore funding, Puna Councilwoman Ashley Kierkiewicz introduced a county bill that expanded the scope of the study to include lands both mauka and makai of Highway 130 and increased the county’s contribution to $1 million. That bill ultimately passed, but Ilagan has blamed this series of events for the funding lapse.

HB 300 was referred to the Senate Ways and Means Committee for discussion on Thursday, but no hearing has yet been scheduled.