ICYMI: U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg Travels to Hawai‘i, Highlights Federal Investments in Infrastructure and Biden-Harris Administration Commitment to Wildfire Recovery

WASHINGTON — Last week, as a part of the Biden Administration’s fourth Investing in America Tour, Secretary Pete Buttigieg visited Hawai‘i to highlight key infrastructure investments across the islands and reaffirm the Biden Administration’s commitment to the wildfire recovery in Lahaina.

Secretary Buttigieg began his trip on Maui, with a FEMA-led tour of Lahaina where he heard directly from those leading the recovery efforts. The tour stops included a residential stop where the Secretary saw the devastating impact on homes in the community, an active debris removal site, Front Street and the sea wall, the cultural heritage site of Mokuʻula, and the harbormasters house and the ferry terminal which the USDOT is helping to rebuild. 

While on Maui the Secretary also heard directly from Hawaiʻi DOT and USDOT’s Federal Highway Administration about the critical work they are doing, funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, along Honoapi‘ilani Highway and across the island to improve roads and bridges — making it easier for people to get to where they need to go, whether they are driving, walking or cycling.

To close out the day on Maui, the Secretary hosted a news conference alongside U.S. Senator Schatz, U.S. Senator Hirono, U.S. Congresswoman Tokuda, Maui Mayor Richard Bissen, Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works Michael Connor and HDOT Director Ed Sniffen to the discuss the Biden Administration’s commitment to investing in resilient infrastructure that better connects communities across Maui and can better withstand extreme weather and the impacts of climate change.

Secretary Buttigieg began his second day on O‘ahu by visiting transportation and infrastructure projects underway in the Honolulu area. He heard about progress being made on the Skyline rail line and took a tour of the Honolulu Harbor where he saw ongoing infrastructure investments in the Port of Honolulu.   

The Secretary then joined state and local leaders for a blessing ceremony and start of construction celebration for a project at the Kapālama Container Terminal funded by President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. This project received a $40 million grant from USDOT’s PIDP program that will help make the port more resilient, able to better withstand disasters, and continue operating during severe weather. 

Before departing Hawai‘i, Secretary Buttigieg took a tour of the Daniel K. Inouye International Airport to see progress on key projects underway at the airport thanks to investments from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, including $22 million headed to the airport announced just last week through the Airport Terminal Program.

See below to see what they’re saying about Secretary Buttigieg’s visit: 

KHON2: U.S. Transportation Secretary to visit Maui and Oahu to discuss infrastructure of islands 

Secretary Buttigieg’s first stop will be on Maui. He and his team will visit Lahaina to look at ways to help with recovery efforts from the August 2023 Lahaina wildfires. “Our federal government has now invested somewhere around $1 billion in that recovery, and it’s going to grow by that significantly over the next couple of years,” said Congressman Ed Case.  

Hawaii News Now: US Transportation Secretary gets first-hand look at Hawaii’s key infrastructure projects 

Buttigieg also touted what he called a “new wave of infrastructure jobs” created from federal funding and said the Biden administration is committed to helping rebuild Lahaina for the long term. 

Hawaii Public Radio: U.S. Transportation Secretary Buttigieg tours Hawaiʻi infrastructure 

“We’re trying to either create alternatives or make sure that what you do have here can be more resilient, whether it’s an airport, a road or a port,” Buttigieg said. 

Hawaii News Now: Transportation Secretary Buttigieg to visit Maui amid wildfire recovery efforts 

Honolulu Star Advertiser: U.S. Transportation Secretary Buttigieg tours Lahaina destruction 

Honolulu Civil Beat: Feds Are Confident Honolulu Rail Is Finally Moving In The Right Direction 

“While I can’t get to every project … I’m very glad I was able to get to this one because it is important in a way that is not just meaningful here in Hawaii but on our radar all the way in Washington, D.C.,” he said. “We’re always seeking to support more growth in transit,” he said of the Biden administration.