Toll booth, cultural center among ideas pitched for Mauna Kea Access Road

HILO (HawaiiNewsNow) – Beneficiaries are bringing new ideas to the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands for the future of a four-mile stretch of Mauna Kea Access Road, including a toll booth and a cultural center.

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In 2024, the Hawaii Supreme Court ruled the stretch of road was not a state highway under the Department of Transportation, but was owned by the Department of Hawaiian Homelands.

One proposal would create a cultural center. Another would establish a toll booth to charge for access to the summit and tours.

Toll booth proposal

The toll booth proposal comes from Koa Kiaʻi, led by Dr. Kalaniakea Wilson, who is also a local tour operator.

“Some of the models that we looked at is Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park,” Wilson said.

Wilson said the toll booth would generate funding to house waitlisters.

“That’s the main reason for the toll booth, is to generate funding to house the waitlisters, because when they die, that could be construed as state-sponsored genocide,” Wilson said.

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Road’s recent history

John De Fries, executive director of the Maunakea Stewardship and Oversight Authority, said he has reviewed both proposals. The new state agency is taking over management of Mauna Kea from the University of Hawaii.

“Frankly, in my review of both proposals, it’s actually downright inspirational to see the quality and the intensity with which beneficiaries to DHHL are engaging in that opportunity,” De Fries said.

The four-mile stretch starts at the cattle guard where, in July 2019, eight people chained themselves with metal piping to the cattle guard across the road, blocking construction of the Thirty Meter Telescope.

Two days later, 38 people, mostly kūpuna, were arrested.

“What that demonstration really was advocating was that the health and well-being of a mountain that is sacred be made paramount and at the center of all decision-making,” De Fries said.

De Fries said he expects more ideas for the access road. He said he hopes a new working group can be formed because of the number of agencies and stakeholders involved with the belief that the mauna is above all.

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