Widen Saddle Road?

Dear Editor,  June 1, 2026

I’ve read both online and on Facebook letters and comments urging the State DOT to widen Saddle Road to four lanes and place a concrete divider up.

These individuals don’t realize the degree of difficulty it was to get Saddle Road improved as is.

The highway goes through some of the most environmentally sensitive areas in the state. If it wasn’t for Pohakuloa Training Area, there probably wouldn’t be the will to go through the permitting processes or the available funding to improve Saddle Road to what we know today.

There are other options available to reduce traffic fatalities up on Saddle Road instead of paving over more of paradise.

I recall during the Thirty Meter Telescope protests, the area was covered by police officers. There weren’t any significant amount of fatalities during that time. This is something to think about.

Aaron Stene

Kailua-Kona, Hawaii