[Mears]

How would neglect of the highway forestall development on Oahu?

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[Covenantor]

Don't know when you were on it last, but in 1977 for many sections it was not much more than a lane and half, no guardrails at all, and before you were out of one turn you were cranking hard the other way. Hana Ranch folks had warned us when we made reservations to take the commuter plane to their private airfield instead of renting a car in Lanai, just too damn dangerous.

Can't tell when that was taken, but you can see a downhill stretch and a car for scale. IIRC, there were tighter stretches on the uphill runs from Lanai

Just couldn't get heavy construction equipment up that road and scaring the tourists kept all but the affluent from making the effort. Part of the Thomas-Lindburgh, effort was keep the native population and culture intact. Colonialists, but well meaning. And it worked for some time.

Final note: on that afternoon we were the only vehicle on the road coming and going.