Current Kihei afternoon traffic mess

Question

If you are in Kihei/Wailea/Makena right now, carefully plan your afternoon trips out of South Maui. Weekday traffic on the Piilani Hwy and South Kihei Road has been at a near stand-still from about 2-6pm. Why? I assume it has gotten worse because of the closure of South Kihei Road in North Kihei while they fix the road from Jan 31 flood damage. Coupled with the roundabout on the Piilani, poor timing on traffic lights on South Kihei Road, school and work traffic plus increased number of cars as it's high season.

There are a few disconnected North-South collector sections where you may be able to avoid some of the mayhem, but despite community clamoring, these collector road sections have not been connected.

Hopefully the road gets fixed soon (never mind addressing why it washes out in the first part). In the mean time, pack your patience, or plan on doing your driving in the morning and stay 'close to home' in the afternoon.

Answer

The traffic situation in South Maui, particularly in Kihei, Wailea, and Makena, has been challenging in the afternoons, especially from about 2-6 pm. This has been exacerbated by several factors:

Road Closure in North Kihei: South Kihei Road is currently closed in North Kihei due to road repairs following flood damage in January. This has forced more traffic onto the remaining sections of South Kihei Road, causing significant congestion.
Pillani Hwy Roundabout: The roundabout on the Piilani Highway has added to the bottleneck, especially during peak hours. Though it's designed to ease traffic flow, it can get clogged with the high volume of vehicles.
School and Work Traffic: The combination of school rush hour and people leaving work in the afternoon has further contributed to the traffic slowdowns.
Increased Seasonal Traffic: During the high season, the increased number of visitors adds to the volume of traffic, particularly during the afternoon hours.

The result is that traffic along the Piilani Hwy and South Kihei Road can be at a near standstill for several hours in the afternoon. Although there are some North-South collector roads that could provide alternative routes, many of these sections are still disconnected and cannot effectively help ease the traffic flow.

If you're planning to drive through South Maui in the afternoon, it's a good idea to:

Plan your trips in the morning: Traffic is generally lighter earlier in the day, so try to get any necessary driving done before 2 pm.
Stay close to your accommodations in the afternoon: If possible, limit your travel in the afternoon to avoid getting caught in the traffic mess.
Pack your patience: With the combination of construction, the roundabout, and the high volume of cars, it's important to be prepared for delays.

Hopefully, the road repairs will be completed soon, and the traffic situation will improve. However, the ongoing issues with road erosion and flooding may require more long-term solutions to prevent future disruptions.