Fallen tree closes Anini Road near Kalihiwai, crews on scene

A downed tree forced Anini Road closed near its intersection with Kalihiwai Road, cutting off a key access route in the Kīlauea, Kalihiwai and ‘Anini area. The tree was leaning on nearby power lines, and vehicles were unable to pass while crews worked to secure the lines before the roadway could be cleared.

The Kauai County Department of Public Works posted the closure on June 15, 2026, and said motorists should avoid the area. County officials said the blockage left Anini Road impassable near the Kalihiwai Road junction, a disruption that can affect daily travel for residents moving between North Shore communities and the beach access roads in the area.

Kauai Island Utility Cooperative was on scene to address the power lines first. That step was necessary before the tree could be removed and the road reopened, since the tree was resting on the lines and posed both a traffic hazard and a utility problem. KIUC has said trees on lines are the main cause of outages on Kauai, making even a single fallen tree a risk to both transportation and electricity service.

The county’s Public Works Roads Division says it tracks roadway hazards, resurfacing projects and bridge status to help motorists plan alternate routes around delays. That information can be especially important when a local connector like Anini Road is shut down without warning and drivers need to reroute quickly around the Kīlauea and Kalihiwai area.

The latest closure followed another weather-related disruption in the same part of the island earlier this spring. On April 9, 2026, Kauai County reported that a portion of Kalihiwai Road leading to the beach in Kīlauea was closed because of downed trees and power lines. The repeated hazards underscore how quickly storms and falling trees can interrupt road access and utility service on Kauai.