THE HAWAIIAN 
FORESTER I AGRICULTURIST 
Vol. V OCTOBER, 1908 No. 10 
THE ROADS OF HAWAII. 
By G. H. Gere, County Engineer, County of Oahu, 
[From the Report of the Governor of the Territory for 1906.] 
That Hawaii has been no laggard in road construction since 
the awakening of the people to the benefits of good roads is very 
apparent to one who will take the time to make the circuit of the 
various islands. 
The rugged nature of country traversed has called for much 
engineering skill, and the severe climatic conditions have com- 
pelled first-class construction. The very boldness of the location 
adds much to the attraction and enables the traveler to get vistas 
of picturesque beauty of field, mountain, gorge and sea coast. 
Hawaii, the largest island, with its variety of scenery and re- 
sources is a constant surprise to the traveler. Her roads have 
neadly all been built within the last thirteen years. The belt road 
around the island was opened for wagon traffic in 1903 for the 
entire circuit, and much has since been done to improve the bad 
places, so that the whole of Hawaii has a fair percentage of "hard 
road," good in all kinds of weather for any sort of traffic. The 
mileage of the "main road," which by common usage has come 
to mean the "belt road," is divided among the various sections as 
follows : 
Hilo District: 46 miles, 30 per cent, macadam, 10 per cent, 
earth, 60 per cent, telford, dressed with volcanic earth, making in 
many cases an excellent road-bed for all weather. 
Hamakua District : 30 miles, 10 per cent, macadam and the 
balance earth. 
South Kohala District: 20 miles, fully 50 per cent, of which 
should be classed as hard road, being dressed with a-a gravel 
or cinder. 
Kona District : 76 miles, all of which is built of natural maca- 
dam of a-a. Kona also boasts about 60 miles of side roads, all of 
which are of the same excellent quality. 
Kau District: 59 miles, 18 per cent, macadam, 18 per cent, 
earth, 44 per cent, a-a and 20 per cent, loose a-a commonly referred 
