Still without fulfilling a state Land Use Commission zoning condition of building a pedestrian underpass or overpass before the school opens, the state Department of Education is “anticipating” to receive temporary certificates of occupancy from Maui County to allow Kulanihako’i High School to open based on a pedestrian safety plan instead.

The DOE said the plan includes crossing guards at the new Kulanihakoi Street traffic roundabout and school-operated shuttles for students walking to and from school until the grade-separated pedestrian crossing is completed.

The DOE said this week that it is “committed to building” the overpass or underpass across Piilani Highway. It is a condition imposed by the LUC in 2013 when it granted a boundary amendment to allow the development and construction of the school on 77 acres mauka of the intersection of Piilani Highway and Kulanihakoi Street.

DOE did not give a construction start date but said when construction starts it will take three to five years, pending project funding.

A walkway winds through the still-under-construction Kulanihako‘i High School that officials hope to open on Jan. 18. — Photo courtesy of DOE

The DOE has sought to eliminate the grade-separated crossing condition in the past, citing studies that it is not warranted, but the LUC has denied the proposed change.

The grade-separated crossing was a project long sought by the Kihei Community Association and residents who are fearful of students crossing the busy Piilani Highway to get to the new school mauka of the highway. The idea of a roundabout was raised by the state Department of Transportation and is almost completed in the area, but the community has also still called for the grade-separated crossing.

Former Maui County Planning Director Michele McLean, who served under Mayor Michael Victorino’s administration through the end of his term, also denied DOE’s request to grant temporary certificates of occupancy in a letter dated Dec. 1. She said that until the entitlement conditions are amended or until the overpass or underpass is substantially completed, the department could not sign off on the temporary certificates.

“The DOE has repeatedly ignored this order for almost a decade,” said Andrew Beerer, a Kihei resident and board member of the Kihei Community Association who has advocated for the school and the grade-separated crossing for years. “We would never allow a private developer to act with such disregard to the zoning laws and the community. Why in good conscience would we, the taxpayers and our elected leaders allow or encourage our state institution, the DOE, to bypass the law and the LUC conditions, especially regarding pedestrian safety?”

Beerer said it is also premature to open the school, as construction work is still going on, much of the campus is not completed and the community has been in the dark about its opening and developments. He said the Piilani roundabout, set to help traffic, is not completely finished yet, and he feels that giving the community more time to learn how to navigate the roundabout would be beneficial before opening the school.

Construction continues to progress at Kulanihako‘i High School in South Maui. — NORDIC PCL CONSTRUCTION photo

He said it looks like a “real rush job.”

“I just want to see the school open properly, to be the pride of Kihei that it should,” he added.

The DOE said the opening is also contingent on final construction-related inspections, which are anticipated to be completed during the first half of this month.

In an email late Friday afternoon, DOE spokeswoman Nanea Kalani said that Jan. 18 “remains only a tentative opening date” as the department continues to work with other agencies.

The first students at the school will be the freshman class. A formal opening ceremony and blessing will be scheduled after the school is opened.

A site plan shows the future layout and construction phases of Kulanihako‘i High School. Students have been studying at Lokelani Intermediate’s campus while the DOE completed Phase II, which includes the upper campus, with administration classroom, library and cafeteria buildings along with physical education locker rooms, a play court, temporary play field and open spaces. — Graphic courtesy of DOE

The DOE said the state Department of Transportation expects construction to be completed on the roundabout this month as well.

When asked how the DOE will receive temporary certificates of occupancy and who will approve them, as there is a new county administration now in place, Kalani said that more information could be provided next week as the DOE is meeting with officials with the Mayor’s Office.

She added that the school continues to work closely with the Maui Police Department to “ensure the safety of our students.”

Also, the school is working on mitigating measures to avoid pedestrian crossings near the school.

Mahina Martin, chief of communications and public affairs for Mayor Richard Bissen said Friday evening, “Students getting into their school safely is our priority.”

“This has been a drawn out process with extraordinary circumstances and we will be meeting with the Department of Education next week to get a status update,” Martin said.

Kulanihako’i High opened to its first ninth graders in August at a temporary site on nearby Lokelani Intermediate School’s campus, while this phase of construction, Phase II, was completed, the DOE said. This included the upper campus, with administration, classroom, library and cafeteria buildings along with physical education locker rooms, a play court, temporary play field and open spaces.

There are currently 34 high school students at the Lokelani campus, Kalani said.

She added that the school’s administration has had ongoing communication with parents. Parents can call the school office at (808) 727-3453 for questions or to enroll.

The DOE said the $120 million campus includes sustainability design features to maximize natural lighting and reduce energy consumption, such as large window walls, high curved ceilings and rooftop airfoils that will help direct winds through classroom buildings to provide natural ventilation and reduce heat buildup.

The school plans to add an additional freshman class annually until grades 9 through 12 are fully implemented in the 2025-26 school year, allowing the school to gradually hire staff to accommodate all grade levels. At full capacity, the campus is designed for an enrollment of 1,600 students.

* Melissa Tanji can be reached at mtanji@mauinews.com.