HDOT Sets Public Meeting for Kona Airport Master Plan Update

The Hawai'i Department of Transportation is hosting its second community informational meeting for the Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport at Keāhole Master Plan Update on Monday, March 16, with residents invited to weigh in on preliminary facility requirements findings before the 20-year planning document is finalized this summer.

The meeting runs from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the West Hawai'i Civic Center at 74-5044 Ane Keohokālole Highway. Attendees can review preliminary facility requirements findings and share questions and feedback directly with the project team. The session is the second in the public outreach series for the master plan, which HDOT describes as the foundational long-range document guiding all future infrastructure and facility improvements at KOA.

A weather caveat looms over the Monday session. An ongoing Kona low storm system has been impacting the island, and HDOT has cautioned that the meeting may be postponed if hazardous conditions persist into Monday. The department will issue a formal notice if the meeting status changes, so anyone planning to attend should verify before heading out. The official project website at koamasterplanupdate.com will reflect any updates, and HDOT Airports Project Manager Traci Lum can be reached at 808-838-8097 or traci.h.lum@hawaii.gov.

The master plan process has been building through 2025. At the first community meeting on May 23, 2025, the project team walked through the current state of various airport functions to establish a baseline understanding of the airport's existing assets. A second technical meeting on September 11, 2025 presented the background and findings of the aviation activity forecast. The March 16 session marks the next step, shifting focus to what facilities KOA will need to accommodate future demand.

The full master plan is expected to be completed by summer 2026.

Those needing auxiliary aids, disability accommodations, or non-English interpreters should contact Lum as soon as possible. HDOT notes that requests made earlier have a greater likelihood of being fulfilled, and the meeting notice is available in alternate formats upon request.