The Dedication of a Pair of Record-Setting Highway Tunnels in Hawaii

The Tetsuo Harano Tunnels on Hawaii’s island of O’ahu were formally opened during dedication ceremonies on November 23, 1994. The Hawaii Department of Transportation (HDOT) had begun construction on both tunnels in 1990. The Tetsuo Harano Tunnels, which HDOT spokesperson Marilyn Kali described as “the absolute state of the art” at the time of their debut, carry Interstate H-3 through the center of the Ko’olau Range. The tunnels serve as a link between the O’ahu communities of Kāne’ohe and Halawa.

These tunnels are named after a longtime state highways employee. Tetsuo Harano, who died in 2015 at the age of 95, began his 52-year career working for the Hawaii Territorial Highway Department (a predecessor of HDOT). He made major contributions to the development of Hawaii’s highways system and steadily rose through the ranks to become an HDOT state highways division administrator.

The Tetsuo Harano Tunnels hold the record as the longest tunnels in the Aloha State. The Kāne’ohe-bound tunnel is 4,980 feet (1,520 meters) in length, and the Halawa-bound tunnel measures 5,165 feet (1,574 meters) in length. (The above photo features the segment of Interstate H-3 at the eastern side of the tunnels.)

For more information on the Tetsuo Harano Tunnels, please check out https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tetsuo_Harano_Tunnels