Portion of Saddle Road Closed After Crash Near Mile Marker 29

A traffic collision on Daniel K. Inouye Highway forced authorities to close a portion of Saddle Road in both directions, Big Island Now reported in a March 3, 2026 advisory. Big Island Now wrote, "A portion of Daniel K. Inouye Highway, also known as Saddle Road, is closed in both directions due to a vehicle crash." The outlet added, "The crash occurred near mile marker 29. Motorists are advised to avoid the area."

An Instagram advisory posted separately referenced a different location, stating, "The highway is currently closed in both directions near the 14-mile marker. Motorists are advised to avoid the area and use alternate routes," but the supplied materials did not include the Instagram account name or a timestamp for that post. Because the Instagram post in the available material lacks attribution and timing, it remains unverified relative to the Big Island Now advisory, which is dated and published by Pacific Media Group.

Key on-scene details remain unreported: neither Big Island Now nor the Instagram advisory supplied the time of the crash, number of vehicles involved, whether anyone was injured or transported, which agencies responded, or an estimated time for reopening. The original report also included a truncated fragment, "Immediate impacts a", indicating additional advisory text may be missing from the record provided to reporters.

Motorists should treat the closure as active until authorities clarify the location and status. Big Island Now explicitly advised drivers to avoid the area; the Instagram advisory added the instruction to "use alternate routes." For official updates, check Hawaii Department of Transportation traffic alerts, Hawaii County Civil Defense releases, and Hawaii Police Department notices or traffic camera feeds for confirmation of the exact mile marker and reopening estimates.

Because the two public postings conflict on the mile-marker location - 29 in Big Island Now versus 14 in the Instagram advisory - travelers planning to use Saddle Road should delay nonessential trips or verify the current closure location through those official channels before driving through East Hawai‘i. The closure was first reported March 3, 2026; further details will be published once the Hawaii County or state traffic authorities release confirmed information.