Hawaii Route 750 Kunia Road (former Hawaii Route 75)

Hawaii Route 750 is an 8.1-mile State Highway located on the Island of O'ahu. The entirety of Hawaii Route 750 is aligned Kunia Road from Interstate H-1/Hawaii Route 76 in Waipahu north to Hawaii Route 99 in the grounds of Wheeler Army Airfield. Hawaii Route 750 was previously designated as Hawaii Route 75.

This page is part of the Gribblenation O'ahu Highways page. All Gribblenation and Roadwaywiz media related to the highway system of O'ahu can be found at the link below:

https://www.gribblenation.org/p/gribblenation-oahu-highways-page.html

Part 1; the history of Hawaii Route 750

Kunia Road takes its name from the former Del Monte Planation Kunia Camp. Kunia Camp began operations in 1916 and ultimately shuttered as of 2007. More regarding the former Del Monte Planation facilities can be viewed on historichawaii.org at their Kunia Camp page.

Prior to the Statehood the first signed highways within Hawaii Territory came into existence during World War II. During World War II the territory of Hawaii saw an influx of military activity following the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7th, 1941. Numerous Military Routes and early Hawaii Routes were signed through the Hawaiian Territory to aid military personnel in navigating the islands. Military Highways were assigned US Route style shields whereas lesser highways were assigned an early variation of what is now the Hawaii Route Spade. Kunia Road can be seen assigned as Military Route 3 given it terminated at Wheeler Army Airfield and near the Schofield Barracks. A full version of the 1946 Army Map of O'ahu can be seen on hawaiihighways.com here.

Circa 1955 following the conclusion of World War II the United States Bureau of Public Roads renumbered the Hawaii Route System. The 1955 Hawaii Route Renumbering saw most of the conventions utilized by the current Hawaii State Route System established. Primary Hawaii Routes were given two digit numbers whereas Secondary Hawaii Routes were given three digit numbers. The Hawaii Routes were assigned in sequence for what Island/County they were located on coupled with what Federal Aid Program number they were tied to. In the case of O'ahu the Island was assigned numbers in the range of 60-99. In the case of Kunia Road it was assigned as part of Hawaii Route 75. A far more detailed explanation of the 1955 Hawaii Route Renumbering can be found at hawaiihighways.com here.

Hawaii Route 75 can be seen aligned on Kunia Road on the 1959 Gousha Map of Hawaii.

On August 21st, 1959 Hawaii became the 50th State which saw its profile rise significantly. The Hawaii Department of Transportation's History of Interstate H-3 guide details much of the early history of the Interstate System in Hawaii. The Interstate System in Hawaii was authorized as part of the 1960 Statehood Act. The 1960 Statehood Act authorized Interstates H-1, H-2 and H-3 on the Island of O'ahu.

Interstate H-2 was meant to serve as a limited access replacement to Hawaii Route 75/Kunia Road and Hawaii Route 99/Kamehameha Highway in the Waipahu-Wheeler Army Airfield corridor. Unlike the other Interstate corridors of O'ahu Interstate H-2 was relatively uncontroversial and three general routing options were discussed via public hearing during October 1962. Construction of the Wahiawā Interchange would begin during 1971. The first two northbound miles of Interstate H-2 opened to traffic from Interstate H-1 to Mililani Cemetery on October 3rd, 1974. The opening ribbon cutting ceremony of the first two miles of Interstate H-2 can be seen in the October 4th, 1974 Honolulu Advisor.

The remaining portion of Interstate H-2 north to Wahiawā opened on February 21st, 1977. The opening ceremony for the completed Interstate H-2 was announced in the February 16th, 1977 Honolulu Advisor.

Upon the completion of Interstate H-2 the corridor of Hawaii Route 75 on Kunia Road was designated as Hawaii Route 750. The three digit "750" denoted Kunia Road was now a secondary State Highway. Hawaii Route 750 was truncated slightly during 1982 from Farrington Highway north to Interstate H-1 when Hawaii Route 76 was relocated off what is now Old Fort Weaver Road. Hawaii Route 750 can be seen on the 1983 USGS Map of Wheeler Army Airfield.

Part 2; a drive on Hawaii Route 750

Hawaii Route 750 northbound begins from Interstate H-1/Queen Liliuokalani Freeway Exit 5 which also accesses Hawaii Route 76.

Northbound Hawaii Route 750/Kunia Road can be seen beginning from the northern terminus of Hawaii Route 76.

Northbound Hawaii Route 750/Kunia Road passes through a plain past Kunia Camp. The Waianae Mountains can be seen looming to the west.

Hawaii Route 750/Kunia Road terminates at Hawaii Route 99 in the grounds of Wheeler Army Airfield.

Southbound Hawaii Route 750/Kunia Road begins from Hawaii Route 99 near the northern terminus of Intestate H-2 at Wheeler Army Airfield.

Views of Hawaii Route 750/Kunia Road bounding through terrain southward.

Hawaii Route 750/Kunia Road reaching its southern terminus at Interstate H-1/Hawaii Route 76.

During May of 2019 Dan Murphy of the Roadwaywiz YouTube Channel and Gribblenation featured real time drives on Hawaii Route 750/Kunia Road. Below Hawaii Route 750/Kunia Road northbound can be viewed.