Royal Footsteps Along the Kona Coast – Preparation of Scenic Byway Cooridor Management Plan
The Royal Footsteps Along the Kona Coast Corridor Management Plan was developed through an inclusive, broad-based collaboration between the Community, the Sponsor and Governmental Agencies to protect, preserve, restore, promote and share the extensive and extraordinary intrinsic qualities along the length of Aliʻi Drive. It is a guide to call attention to and protect the area’s significant archaeological, historic, cultural, natural, scenic and recreational resources.
Its archaeological and historic features merit statewide and national significance, as evidenced by several sites already placed on State and National Registers of Historic Places and National Landmark status. These sites promote understanding of Hawaiʻi’s heritage for residents and visitors alike. These archaeological features found along Aliʻi Drive are identified as its most important intrinsic quality; however, the corridor has many extraordinary intrinsic qualities, found nowhere else.
Unlike any other roadway in America, the Royal Footsteps Along the Kona Coast provides an excellent opportunity to fulfill the State and National program’s purpose to “tell a story,” while also providing economic development opportunities to the local community. Royal Footsteps Along the Kona Coast covers the entire length of Aliʻi Drive, seven miles of roadway and over seven centuries of Hawaiian Royalty archaeological, historic and cultural traditions that have shaped Hawaiʻi into what it is today.
American Planning Association-Hawai‘i Chapter selected Royal Footsteps Along the Kona Coast for the “Environment/Preservation Award”, Kailua Village Business Improvement District, Local Hawaiʻi Scenic Byway Committee and Hoʻokuleana LLC were awarded the 2011 Historic Preservation Commendation from the Historic Hawaiʻi Foundation for the project and Royal Footsteps Along the Kona Coast was awarded the 2011 Pualu Award for Culture & Heritage from the Kona-Kohala Chamber of Commerce.