Hawaii Route 232 was a portion of the original routing of Hawaii Route 19 along Mamalahoa Highway in the community of Ookala. Hawaii Route 19 moved to the grade of the Hawaii Consolidated Railway which bypassed Ookala during late 1950s. Old Mamalahoa Highway was reactivated during the early 1960s as Hawaii Route 232 to provide a state highway corridor to the community business district. Ultimately this corridor was short lived as it was recommended for deletion in 1967. The history of Hawaii Route 232 Ookala was established in as a siding of the Hawaii Consolidated Railway Hamakua Division. Much of Mamalahoa Highway on the Hamakua Coast of the Big Island acted as frontage of the Hawaii Consolidated Railway Hamakua Division. The railroad took the best grade alignments possible north from Hilo to Paaulio. The first phase of the Hamakua Division opened between Hilo and Hakalau by 1911. The line was extended north to Paaulio by 1913....
Because every road has a story.