It may, in a positive way. Complete Streets have shown to stimulate growth in local businesses, as well as improve social interactions, improve property values and create a sense of place amongst community members.

Check out this report on Protected Bike Lanes Mean Business.

When a street is made “Complete”, it makes the area equitable for all users: motorists, pedestrians, transit/bus users, bicyclists, and the disabled. It helps to address not only the safety of the people moving from place to place, but also serves to boost economic growth and social wellbeing. Continuous networks of safe sidewalks and bikeways, provided by Complete Streets projects, are important for encouraging physical activity and positively affecting our health. ^4,5,6

Dairy Road is also the missing link. We have a wonderful Mokulele multi-use path extending from Kahului all the way to Kihei, while on the other end we have the North Shore Greenway extending from Kanahā Beach Park to Pāʻia Bay (note that there is one missing section along this path that is near complete).

Once Dairy Road becomes a Complete Street, with the exception of a few key connections, there will be a safe avenue available extending from our north shore all the way to our south shore without ever having to get in the car. It will be a 14 mile continuous and protected mix use path once we work through some connecting pieces.

With the Airport Access Road now open, the thoroughfare traffic has been reduced on Dairy Road. The current number of cars utilizing Dairy Road should not be affected with a Complete Streets or Right Sizing road treatment.

The middle turn lanes also help to keep traffic flow continuous by keeping all vehicles making left turns out of the flow lanes. This road treatment also will make Dairy Road more accessible and safe to those who want to stop at local businesses. Traffic flow through the area will continue to be monitored.

Complete Streets can save lives, reducing the number of pedestrian crashes (both fatal and non-fatal).

According to the Healthy Hawai‘i Initiative Central Maui Non-motorized Access Plan with data collected from 2007-2010, Dairy Road was ranked the number one most dangerous 1-mile roadway in central Maui for cyclists and pedestrians.⁷

There are also a reduction in vehicle crashes with Complete Streets or Road Diet treatments. The 2014 FHWA Safety Program Road Diet Informational Guide, outlines benefits of a low-cost road diet to include:

1. An overall crash reduction of 19 to 47%;
2. Reduction of rear-end and left-turn crashes;
3. Fewer lanes for pedestrians to cross and an 
opportunity to install pedestrian refuge 
islands; and
4. The opportunity to install bicycle lanes when 
the cross-section width is reallocated.

See full guide here.

Currently Dairy Road is a five lane thoroughfare. Now that the Airport Access Road road is in place, it can take most of the thoroughfare traffic. With a Complete Street design, Dairy Road will go from five lanes down to three.

There will be two lanes going each direction with a middle turn lane. The space now created on the sides of the street will be designated for mixed use by pedestrians, bicyclists and transit (bus stops).

There will likely be a buffered area between motorists and the mix use area.

Check out the video to the right to learn more!

Yes, there are many. In fact, there are a couple other terms used to describe similar road treatments such as “Road Diet” or “Right Sizing”.

Learn more about Road Diets.

Learn more about Right Sizing.

Use the contact form below to reach Sonya, Maui County Community Coordinator for the Healthy Eating Active Living (HEAL) Coalition.