Pulelehua's Benefits to the Community

Pulelehua will be a part of the traffic solution in West Maui, as this community will take cars off of roads in the congested area of Lahaina town, decreasing commuter traffic from other areas of the island.

The new community will help redistribute traffic within West Maui. Pulelehua will change traffic flow patterns, as the need for area residents to drive through Lahaina town will decrease.

Pulelehua will also alleviate traffic in Lahaina by reducing the number of parents driving their children to elementary school, as a new DOE elementary school will be built in the community. Approximately 240 of the 550 children who will attend Pulelehua's elementary school will be able to walk or bike to school. The remainder of the children will come from the surrounding area, reducing the number of elementary school students traveling through Lahaina.

Pulelehua will also alleviate shopping traffic by reducing trips outside of the community with the inclusion of commercial and retail locations in Pulelehua.

Pulelehua will provide funding for regional traffic improvements and highway improvements adjacent to Pulelehua.

Pulelehua intends to contribute 13 acres for an elementary school in the community and more than $2 million which could be used towards its design and construction. Pulelehua will also help foster the opening of the elementary school and preschool, which is supported by the Department of Education. The elementary school and preschool are currently scheduled to open for the 2010/2011 school year.

Pulelehua Elementary School is being planned by the West Maui community, as the state Department of Education conducted a site visit and hosted several public meetings for area residents and public and private school educators to help in the master planning and design of the school.

The elementary school will be LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified, which ensures the design and operation of the school will be cost-effective, built green, and be a healthy and comfortable learning environment for students and teachers.

Pulelehua is expected to produce $301.5 million in real property capital investment, and generate $278.8 million in construction related wages, including $47.4 million in profits to local suppliers and contractors.

The new community is also estimated to contribute $8 million in real property tax revenue in the first 10 years of its existence, and $1.5 million annually thereafter.

Maui County will benefit from a projected $30.9 million per year in discretionary spending to be generated by Pulelehua residents.

Pulelehua is also expected to provide for over $1 million in Regional Traffic Impact Fees.