Editing Interstate H-2 (section)

===Planning and funding===

A set of Interstate Highways on O‘ahu were approved for funding by the U.S. Congress in 1960, a year after Hawaii was admitted as a state.<ref name="FHWA-History">{{cite web |last=Weingroff |first=Richard |title=Interstates in Hawaii: ARE WE CRAZY??? |url=https://highways.dot.gov/highway-history/general-highway-history/rambler/ask-rambler-interstates-hawaii-are-we-crazy |work=Ask the Rambler |publisher=Federal Highway Administration |access-date=November 15, 2021 |archive-date=October 14, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211014175512/https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/infrastructure/hawaii.cfm |url-status=live }}</ref> The corridors would connect Honolulu to [[Naval Air Station Barbers Point]] to the west, Schofield Barracks to the northwest, [[Marine Corps Air Station Kaneohe Bay]] to the northeast, and [[Diamond Head, Hawaii|Diamond Head]] to the southeast.<ref>{{cite news |date=June 19, 1960 |title=Freeways To Be Extended |page=39 |work=[[The Honolulu Advertiser]] |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/88969133/freeways-to-be-extended/ |via=[[Newspapers.com]] |accessdate=November 15, 2021 |archive-date=November 15, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211115084847/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/88969133/freeways-to-be-extended/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The [[Bureau of Public Roads]] (now the [[Federal Highway Administration]]) approved "Interstate H-2" as the designation for the Schofield Barracks corridor on August 29, 1960.<ref name="FHWA-History"/>

The freeway would be built parallel to a section of the [[Kamehameha Highway]], which opened in 1921 to connect Honolulu to the [[North Shore (Oahu)|North Shore]] and the windward side of the island.<ref>{{cite news |last=Sigall |first=Bob |date=January 3, 2020 |title=Rearview Mirror: Kamehameha Highway possesses storied history |page=B6 |work=Honolulu Star-Advertiser |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/89136172/rearview-mirror-kamehameha-highway/ |via=Newspapers.com |accessdate=November 17, 2021 |archive-date=November 18, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211118055139/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/89136172/rearview-mirror-kamehameha-highway/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=September 5, 1962 |title=State Marks Kam Highway To Block Lane Leaners |page=B4 |work=The Honolulu Advertiser |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/89136385/state-marks-kam-highway-to-block-lane/ |via=Newspapers.com |accessdate=November 17, 2021 |archive-date=November 18, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211118055133/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/89136385/state-marks-kam-highway-to-block-lane/ |url-status=live }}</ref> A set of three general routing options were presented at a [[public hearing]] in October 1962, all to be at least four lanes wide except for a section around Wheeler Army Airfield.<ref>{{cite news |date=October 7, 1962 |title=Freeway: Leeward Hearing Set For Tuesday |page=A7 |work=[[Honolulu Star-Bulletin]] |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/89136416/freeway-leeward-hearing-set-for-tuesday/ |via=Newspapers.com |accessdate=November 17, 2021 |archive-date=November 18, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211118055132/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/89136416/freeway-leeward-hearing-set-for-tuesday/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The easternmost option, with an estimated cost of $29.2&nbsp;million (equivalent to ${{Format price|{{Inflation|US-GDP|29200000|1962}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US-GDP}}{{inflation-fn|index=US-GDP}}) was chosen by officials following feedback from the hearing.<ref>{{cite news |date=October 10, 1962 |title=Route C Favored As Freeway Path |page=A2 |work=The Honolulu Advertiser |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/89136523/route-c-favored-as-freeway-path/ |via=Newspapers.com |accessdate=November 17, 2021 |archive-date=November 18, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211118055137/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/89136523/route-c-favored-as-freeway-path/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Construction of H-2 was scheduled to begin in 1967, but federal funding cuts deferred several Interstate projects on O‘ahu, including the Waiawa Interchange and Kipapa section of H-2.<ref>{{cite news |last=Lund |first=Kay |date=February 23, 1967 |title=Federal cutback throws H-1 plans into slow gear |page=C1 |work=The Honolulu Advertiser |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/89137847/federal-cutback-throws-h-1-plans-into/ |via=Newspapers.com |accessdate=November 17, 2021 |archive-date=November 18, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211118055132/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/89137847/federal-cutback-throws-h-1-plans-into/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

Following the partial restoration of federal funding,<ref>{{cite news |last=Lund |first=Kay |date=May 11, 1967 |title=Road plan zips into high |page=B4 |work=Honolulu Star-Bulletin |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/89138410/road-plan-zips-into-high/ |via=Newspapers.com |accessdate=November 17, 2021 |archive-date=November 18, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211118071154/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/89138410/road-plan-zips-into-high/ |url-status=live }}</ref> HDOT opened bids in November 1967 on construction of the Waiawa Interchange with H-1.<ref>{{cite news |date=December 8, 1967 |title=$4.5 Million HD&C Bid Lowest on H-1 Section |page=B6 |work=The Honolulu Advertiser |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/89138534/45-million-hdc-bid-lowest-on-h-1/ |via=Newspapers.com |accessdate=November 17, 2021 |archive-date=November 18, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211118071146/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/89138534/45-million-hdc-bid-lowest-on-h-1/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The remainder of H-2 remained indefinitely deferred, along with funding for H-3.<ref>{{cite news |last=Lund |first=Kay |date=May 16, 1968 |title=State pressing for H-1 completion |page=E8 |work=Honolulu Star-Bulletin |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/89139481/state-pressing-for-h-1-completion/ |via=Newspapers.com |accessdate=November 17, 2021 |archive-date=November 18, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211118071157/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/89139481/state-pressing-for-h-1-completion/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The federal government allocated $51&nbsp;million (equivalent to ${{Format price|{{Inflation|US-GDP|52000000|1968}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US-GDP}}{{inflation-fn|index=US-GDP}}) for the entire H-2 project in October 1968,<ref>{{cite news |date=October 31, 1968 |title=U.S. funds for Pearl City to Wahiawa road |page=F1 |work=Honolulu Star-Bulletin |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/89139537/us-funds-for-pearl-city-to-wahiawa/ |via=Newspapers.com |accessdate=November 17, 2021 |archive-date=November 18, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211118071156/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/89139537/us-funds-for-pearl-city-to-wahiawa/ |url-status=live }}</ref> allowing for bidding on other construction contracts to open.<ref>{{cite news |date=November 24, 1968 |title=One Bidder For Road Project |page=E4 |work=The Honolulu Advertiser |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/89139532/one-bidder-for-road-project/ |via=Newspapers.com |accessdate=November 17, 2021 |archive-date=November 18, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211118071153/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/89139532/one-bidder-for-road-project/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The original embankment design of crossings for the Kipapa and Waikakalaua streams near Mililani was later replaced in 1971 with bridges to reduce costs and potential erosion issues.<ref>{{cite news |date=May 7, 1971 |title=High speed bridges to span 2 gulches |page=D2 |work=The Honolulu Advertiser |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/89182861/high-speed-bridges-to-span-2-gulches/ |via=Newspapers.com |accessdate=November 18, 2021 |archive-date=November 19, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211119020729/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/89182861/high-speed-bridges-to-span-2-gulches/ |url-status=live }}</ref> H-2 was described as "Hawaii's forgotten freeway" by local newspapers, as its planning was generally uncontroversial compared to other projects, such as [[Interstate H-3|H-3]], and did not attract the attention of anti-highway activists.<ref>{{cite news |last=Hostetler |first=Harold |date=November 29, 1973 |title=Nobody complains about H-2 |page=C2 |work=The Honolulu Advertiser |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/89187727/nobody-complains-about-h-2/ |via=Newspapers.com |accessdate=November 18, 2021 |archive-date=November 19, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211119031845/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/89187727/nobody-complains-about-h-2/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="HSB-1974">{{cite news |last=Smollar |first=David |date=June 16, 1974 |title='Forgotten' freeway proceeds smoothly |page=A3 |work=Honolulu Star-Bulletin |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/89188433/forgotten-freeway-proceeds-smoothly/ |via=Newspapers.com |accessdate=November 18, 2021 |archive-date=November 19, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211119031846/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/89188433/forgotten-freeway-proceeds-smoothly/ |url-status=live }}</ref>