Hawaii Route 560

{{Infobox road

| state = HI

| type = HI

| route = 560

| alternate_name = Kuhio Highway

| map = {{maplink|frame=yes|plain=yes|frame-align=center|frame-width=290|frame-height=240|frame-lat=22.211|frame-long=-159.526|zoom=11|type=line|raw={{Wikipedia:Map data/Wikipedia KML/Hawaii Route 560}}}}

| map_custom = yes

| map_notes = Route 560 highlighted in red

| length_mi = 10.01

| length_ref =

| established = Late 1960s

| descommissioned =

| history = 2004: Added to the NRHP

| direction_a = East

| terminus_a = {{Jct|state=HI|HI|56}} in Princeville

| junction =

| direction_b = West

| terminus_b = Dead ends at Ha'ena State Park

| counties = Kauai

| previous_type = HI

| previous_route = 550

| next_type = HI

| next_route = 570

| embedded = {{Infobox NRHP

| embed = yes

| name = Kaua'i Belt Road--North Shore section

| nrhp_type = hd

| nocat = yes

| image = Kauai-BeltRoad-Hanalei-bridge.JPG

| image_size = 290

| caption = Bridge over Hanalei River, November 2009

| location = Route 560
Princeville, Hawaii
United States

| coordinates = {{coord|22|12|43|N|159|31|40|W|display=inline}}

| locmapin = Hawaii

| built = 1900

| architect = J.H. Moragne, R.L. Garlinghouse, et al.

| architecture =

| added = February 11, 2004

| refnum = 03001048{{NRISref|2009a}}

}}

Route 560, or Kaua'i Belt Road-North Shore section, is a {{convert|10|mi|km|spell=in|adj=on}} scenic road on the northern shore of the island of Kaua{{okina}}i in Hawaii. The entire road is signed as the Kuhio Highway. Hawaii Route 56 was once signed on this route before it was downgraded to Hawaii Route 560 in the late 1960s.[http://www.hawaiihighways.com/FAQs-page3.htm#route-system-evolution How did Hawaii's route number system evolve into its present form?] The Kuhio Highway is named after Jonah Kūhiō Kalaniana'ole, the second non-voting congressional delegate from territorial Hawaii.

Route description

File:2021-10-08 13 11 39 View east along Hawaii State Route 560 (Kuhio Highway) just west of the Hanalei River Bridge in the Hanalei Valley of Kauai, Hawaii.jpg

Kuhio Highway ends its Route 56 designation in Princeville. The road drops in elevation heading toward the Hanalei River with lookout points giving views of the river valley and the northwestern shore of Kaua{{okina}}i. It then goes through the only major town on this route, Hanalei, and past Hanalei Bay. It follows a foot trail used by ancient Hawaiians. An early record is given in the 1849 diary of William DeWitt Alexander, who lived at the Wai{{okina}}oli mission, which is still along the road. William Tufts Brigham recorded boats used to cross the rivers in 1865. The Hanalei Pier is just north of the road, on the bay. At one time the valley was home to rice fields, and the Haraguchi Rice Mill is one of several along the river.

The road is narrow at times and features 11 one-lane bridges, with the first five constructed in 1912. County engineers J. H. Moragne and R. L. Garlinghouse supervised building and paving the bridges.{{cite web |title= Kaua'i Belt Road (North Shore section) nomination form |author= Dawn E. Duensing |work= National Register of Historic Places |date= April 8, 2002 |publisher= U.S. National Park Service |url= {{NRHP url|id=03001048}} |accessdate= 2010-04-30 }}

Many of these bridges have restricted weight limits and some are wooden.[http://www.hawaiihighways.com/kuhio-hwy-bridge-log.htm HI 560 Bridge Log] Traffic must yield at these bridges and it is customary to allow the greater traffic to cross first, or after five to seven cars have passed, to allow to the other side to pass.[http://www.kauaidiscovery.com/virtual_kauai_tour/hanalei+princeville+kilauea/page10/ One Lane Bridge Crossing the Hanalei River] The road becomes narrower with each passing mile as the Nā Pali Coast begins to inch closer to the coast. The road dead-ends at Ha{{okina}}ena State Park.

History

In the 1960s, there were plans to extend the road to Route 550, allowing one to circumnavigate the entire island, but they were dropped due to environmental concerns and lack of traffic demand.[http://www.hawaiihighways.com/FAQs-page6.htm#Kauai-gap Why can't you drive all the way around Kauai?] The Hawaii Department of Transportation was planning to replace the bridges with two-lane bridges, but the plan was abandoned in 1987. The area is popular for films, but they can cause traffic congestion since there are no alternate routes.{{cite news |url= http://thegardenisland.com/news/local/article_561f667e-4f75-11df-92d3-001cc4c03286.html |title= Bad timing cited for filming in Hanalei |newspaper= Kauai Garden Island News |date= April 23, 2010 |access-date= April 30, 2010 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100427015334/http://thegardenisland.com/news/local/article_561f667e-4f75-11df-92d3-001cc4c03286.html |archive-date= April 27, 2010 |url-status= dead }}

Instead, a massive renovation project began for the Hanalei River bridge, promoted by a community preservation group with the Hawaii Department of Transportation. A Pratt truss was built as a replica of the original 1912 one-lane structure.{{cite news |url= http://www.kauaiworld.com/articles/2003/05/15/news/export13134.txt |title= Robeson, Wilcox honored for preserving Hanalei Bridge |newspaper= Kauai Garden Island News |date= May 15, 2003 |author= Chris Cook |accessdate= 2010-04-30 }} The new bridge was officially dedicated in 2003. A 1960s structure under the roadway supports the heavier weight of modern traffic.{{cite news |url= http://thegardenisland.com/news/article_40ccc0dd-83bf-55de-97a1-bd6d9e97b086.html |title= Renovated Hanalei Bridge officially blessed |newspaper= Kauai Garden Island News |date= November 9, 2003}} On February 11, 2004, Route 560 was added to the National Register of Historic Places listings in Hawaii as site 03001048.