AASHTO Journal - Hawaii DOT Unveils Two Kūʻihēlani Highway Murals

The Hawaii Department of Transportation and the Maui Economic Opportunity or MEO Youth Services program recently dedicated two murals along Kūʻihēlani Highway or Route 380; part of the agency’s ongoing effort to collaborate with the community to beautify travel corridors and public spaces.

[Above photo by Hawaii DOT]

The first mural, “Moʻolelo o Maui,” completed in January by Maui artists Matt Agcolicol and Bailey Onaga, features the Maui demigod Haleakalā harnessing the sun.

Then, in July, those two artists teamed up with students from MEO Youth Services program to paint “Oneloa & Keone’ō’io” – a mural centered around a powerful wave motif, symbolizing the island’s connective energy. Hawaii DOT provided the paint, supplies, and “canvass” for both artworks, the agency noted.

[Editor’s note: The Texas Department of Transportation is involved in a similar initiative in partnership with the City of Houston to enhance intersections throughout the city.]

Prior to the painting of the second mural, MEO Youth Services students learned about public art and thought about their favorite memories of their island home. They then drew and/or painted their own pieces to inspire the artists who came up with the design for the mural.

Those artworks are adjacent to the Kahului Park & Ride at the corner of Puʻunēnē Avenue (Route 3500) and Kūʻihēlani Highway (Route 380).

“[We are] proud to showcase our gifted local artists and especially our youth with these two murals featuring Maui’s natural beauty,” said Ed Sniffen, Hawaii DOT’s director, in a statement.

“We want our travel corridors, such as this one along Kūʻihēlani Highway, to be more than just asphalt and signs, but a visual reminder of how lucky we are to live in Hawaii,” he added. “The partnerships developed through the murals connect government with community and give residents a feeling of ownership in the infrastructure they use for their daily commute.”

“This mural is a beautiful tribute to what makes Maui unique,” noted Maui County Mayor Richard Bissen Jr. “It shows what we can accomplish when government, nonprofits, artists, and our youth come together, creating something greater than any one of us could have done alone.”