Beginning June 2025, 400,000 tons of nonhazardous debris from the 2023 Lahaina wildfire will be moved from the Temporary Debris Storage (TDS) site in Olowalu to the Permanent Disposal Site (PDS) in Central Maui.
This transportation phase is an important step in Maui’s long-term recovery. The operation – a coordinated effort between the County of Maui, Federal Emergency Management Agency, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and the State of Hawaiʻi Department of Health and Department of Transportaion – will consist of up to 50 trucks making four roundtrips daily. Work will take place during daylight hours, seven days a week, for an estimated five months. Details are subject to change.
Please note that from June to November 2025 motorists are advised to plan for slower than usual traffic. Mahalo for your understanding and patience as recovery continues on Maui.
Approximately 400,000 tons of debris will be moved to a regulated site designed for safe, long-term containment.
Debris transport will take approximately five months, from June to November 2025.
Debris at the TDS will be lightly wetted for dust control before being loaded into trucks and wrapped in industrial plastic sheeting. The debris is considered nonhazardous.
Trucks will travel a 19-mile route from Olowalu to Central Maui using Honoapi‘ilani Highway (HI-30), Kūihelani Highway (HI-380), and former cane haul roads beginning from Waikō Road. The temporary signal along Honoapi‘ilani near the TDS will be reactivated to facilitate trucks turning onto the highway. Trucks may temporarily deviate from the main route due to unforeseen circumstances (i.e. emergency, weather, obstruction).
Up to 50 trucks will make four round trips daily, operating seven days a week during daylight hours. Trucks will follow posted speed limits and will not stop except in case of emergency. The contractor has strike teams on standby to provide quick support to vehicles to minimize impact to traffic.
Allow some extra travel time and consider adjusting your commute during peak haul periods.
Avoid tailgating or passing debris-hauling vehicles.
Let your family, friends, neighbors, coworkers and visitors know about this important recovery effort.
Following the completion of the construction of the permanent debris site, transfer ops will begin in June 2025 and is expected to take approximately five months.
The nonhazardous debris will be transported via dump trucks from the Temporary Debris Storage site (TDS) at Olowalu to the Permanent Disposal Site (PDS) in Central Maui using the most direct routes. On the primary route, trucks will travel a 19-mile route from Olowalu to Central Maui using Honoapi‘ilani Highway (HI-30), Kūihelani Highway (HI-380), and former cane haul roads beginning from Waikō Road. Two alternate routes have also been identified for use in case of unplanned road closures.
Based on engineering analysis by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, impacts to traffic will be marginal, but USACE is working with their partners to mitigate them. The existing temporary traffic signal at Olowalu will be utilized to allow trucks exiting the TDS to turn left safely onto Honoapi‘ilani Highway. Drivers should plan additional time into their drive time to accommodate any delays.\
Debris at the TDS site will be lightly wetted for dust control. It will then be loaded into trucks and wrapped in thick, industrial-strength plastic sheeting. The loaded trucks will be weighed and then begin the route to the Central Maui Landfill. Approximately 50 trucks will make approximately four round trips per day during daylight hours.
Work will be done during daylight hours to prioritize the safety of workers at the TDS and PDS sites, where heavy machinery will be operated.
The cost of the transfer operations and sites are federally funded, and under the County of Maui’s agreement with FEMA, the debris transfer and subsequent restoration of the Olowalu site by USACE must be completed by the end of the year. The beginning of transport in June is contingent on the completion of the permanent site at Central Maui Landfill.
No. There were no cars stored at the TDS, because burned vehicles had already been recycled as scrap metal following an adjudication process coordinated by the County of Maui’s Department of Environmental Management.
USACE recognizes the importance of supporting the local contracting community and the economy. USACE’s prime contractor is the Environmental Chemical Corporation (ECC). A significant portion of their subcontractors and workforce will be local hires.
The contractor has strike teams on standby to provide quick support to vehicles to minimize impacts to traffic.
The nonhazardous debris will be wrapped in thick, industrial-strength plastic sheeting and lightly wetted prior to being placed in a truck at the TDS to prevent fallout during transport. If a member of the public sees something of concern, please report the incident and license plate number of the truck to the USACE debris hotline at 877-214-9117.
Trucks will be clearly marked with a sticker or placard providing a truck number and a logo.
Unfortunately, to make maximum use of optimal weather conditions in wind-prone areas, transport operations must be conducted during the morning and late afternoon hours. Any project delays could impact the project’s completion within the required timeframe to receive federal funding.
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