North Shore highway, shuttle to open

HAENA — Officials are finalizing the registration and shuttle system for getting to Ha‘ena State Park and other places on the North Shore.

And you’ll be able to reserve a space on that shuttle beginning mid-May.

Kuhio Highway is set to reopen May 1, but the state parks and Limahuli Gardens will remain closed until some time in June.

With a $200 fine for parking along Kuhio Highway in the state parks, no overnight parking and only 100 stalls in the Ha‘ena State Park parking lot — you have to reserve those through the state — the new North Shore shuttle system will be the alternative to competing for a parking spot.

Entry to Ha‘ena State Park will require a day reservation. You get that at the Ha‘ena State Park reservation website, which still advertises the park as closed and isn’t offering passes.

The state Department of Land and Natural Resources hasn’t yet announced the cost of those reservations, but Hanalei Initiative has announced the anticipated cost of the North Shore shuttle.

A ticket on the shuttle includes entry fare to the park.

Introductory round-trip pricing per person headed into Ha‘ena State Park is expected to be $11. For those traveling along other routes of the North Shore shuttle, the cost is expected to be $2 round-trip. Also, the North Shore shuttle will honor County of Kauai bus passes.

Tickets have to be purchased electronically online at kauaiNSshuttle.com. The expected launch of that website is mid-May. You can also buy a Kauai Bus pass at available locations. Frequent-rider monthly passes for The Kauai Bus are $40, and an annual pass is $400.

When the websites are up and running, you’ll be able to visit the Ha‘ena State Park site to check into reserving a parking space and getting a day pass. From there, you should be able to find a link to the Kauai North Shore shuttle if you’d like to get to the park that way.

DLNR points out that anyone hiking or camping in the area won’t be able to leave their vehicles overnight. If you’re planning to be in the Napali Coast State Wilderness Park overnight — hiking the Kalalau Trail, for instance — you’ll have to get someone to drop you off or take the shuttle to the trailhead.

The Kalalau camping reservation system will be re-activated once the opening date is finalized.

Meanwhile, officials with Kauai Visitors Bureau and community organizations like Malama Kauai urge patience and point out that, for about a month, the reopened portion of Kuhio Highway won’t lead to any of the main attractions on the North Shore.

With no parking, it’s a road to a dead end until Ha‘ena State Park and other places are reopened in June.

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Jessica Else, environment reporter, can be reached at 245-0452 or jelse@thegardenisland.com.
Source: The Garden Island