Maui Businesses Face Significant January 18th Delays: Marathon Disrupts Honoapiʻilani Highway Access
The Maui Oceanfront Marathon on Sunday, January 18, 2026, will result in closures and substantial traffic congestion along the Honoapiʻilani Highway, affecting businesses from Wailea to Launiupoko Beach Park. The Hawaiʻi Department of Transportation advises all highway users to anticipate significant delays, necessitating proactive adjustments to operational plans.
The Change
On Sunday, January 18, 2026, sections of the Honoapiʻilani Highway will be temporarily closed or have restricted access to accommodate the Maui Oceanfront Marathon. The race route extends from The Shops at Wailea to Launiupoko Beach Park. This closure is expected to cause substantial traffic delays throughout the day, particularly on major arteries connecting these areas. Businesses operating on or relying on access to this highway should prepare for significant disruptions to their logistics and customer accessibility.
Who's Affected
Tourism Operators: Hotels, tour companies, and rental car agencies in the Wailea and Kihei areas will experience direct impacts. Visitor transport to and from the airport, as well as to popular attractions, may face delays of 1 to 3 hours. Deliveries of supplies to hotels and restaurants along the route will also be significantly hindered. Businesses should consider rerouting inbound and outbound traffic and informing guests of potential travel time increases.
Small Business Operators: Restaurants, retail shops, and service providers in the affected zones—especially those relying on timely deliveries or easy customer access—will face operational challenges. Delivery drivers may be delayed, leading to potential spoilage for food businesses or missed appointments for service providers. Staffing could also be an issue if employees face prolonged commutes. Proactive communication with suppliers and customers is crucial.
Agriculture & Food Producers: Businesses involved in transporting perishable goods, such as fresh produce or seafood, are at high risk. The extended delays on Honoapiʻilani Highway could lead to significant spoilage, resulting in financial losses. Companies should explore alternative routes, if feasible, or reschedule deliveries for before or after the marathon hours.
Real Estate Owners: While not directly impacted by operational disruptions, property managers and landlords in the affected areas should be aware of potential tenant impacts. Tenants who operate businesses or rely on the affected routes for work may experience hardships. Information sharing about the closures and potential mitigation strategies for tenants could be valuable.
Second-Order Effects
The temporary closure of a key Maui thoroughfare like Honoapiʻilani Highway highlights the vulnerability of island economies to infrastructure disruptions. For tourism-dependent businesses, a single event causing extensive delays can negatively impact visitor experience, potentially leading to reduced future bookings or negative online reviews. This can indirectly affect labor demand in the hospitality sector, potentially dampening wage growth for service workers. Furthermore, relying on a single, major highway for logistics means that any disruption, whether due to events or natural causes, can cascade into higher operating costs for businesses due to spoilage, overtime, or contractual penalties for late deliveries.
What to Do
Tourism Operators:
- Action: Re-route all inbound and outbound transportation services in the Wailea and Kihei areas away from Honoapiʻilani Highway between 6:00 AM and 1:00 PM on January 18th. Notify all guests with upcoming reservations about potential travel delays. Advance all non-essential deliveries to before 6:00 AM or after 1:00 PM.
Small Business Operators:
- Action: Confirm all scheduled deliveries for January 18th are rescheduled for outside the marathon hours or to alternative routes. Communicate potential customer access issues and advise staff to allow extra travel time to arrive for their shifts. Consider staffing flexibility if commutes are severely impacted.
Agriculture & Food Producers:
- Action: Postpone any shipment of highly perishable goods scheduled to travel through the affected route on January 18th. If alternative routes are available, assess their feasibility and time impact thoroughly before re-scheduling. Prioritize communication with your logistics partners regarding necessary amendments to delivery schedules.
Real Estate Owners:
- Action: Inform your commercial tenants in the affected zones about the marathon and potential traffic disruptions. Provide them with the official detour information or alternative route suggestions from the Hawaiʻi Department of Transportation to assist them in planning their operations and customer communications.
