Hawaii Aviation

KAHULUI – The Hawaii Department of Transportation (HDOT) Airports Division celebrated the start of construction on the new Consolidated Rent-A-Car (Conrac) facility at Kahului Airport, Friday, April 15, 2016. The groundbreaking ceremony marks the beginning of construction to build a beautiful and functional facility that will enhance the customer experience for those traveling to and from Maui.

The Conrac will house more than a dozen rental car companies in one location that is closer to the main terminal. The new Conrac will be a three level structure encompassing rental car offices, customers service counters, ready and return rental car spaces, and Quick-Turn-Around (QTA) areas with fuel and car wash facilities to service rental car fleets. There will be nearly 3,800 parking stalls dedicated to the rental car companies plus another 700 dedicated to employee parking for a total of nearly 4,500 parking stalls.

Currently, the rental car companies are located away from the terminal and require a shuttle bus service. The new facility will feature an electric tram built on a rail system to provide quick and efficient transportation between the terminal and rental car counters. The electric tram system will eventually be powered by solar energy which will help the airport reduce its overall carbon footprint and bring the state closer to its goal of 100 percent renewable energy. It will also help relieve congestion around the airport by eliminating the need for 25 shuttle buses that made an average of 85 trips an hour to the terminal. The train’s classic appearance is designed to reflect the Valley Isle’s plantation roots.

The design of the new Conrac will incorporate natural beauty found throughout the island of Maui and will be one of the first and last thing guests will see when arriving and departing. Access to the facility is planned through a new access road that will extend from the Hana Highway to the Airport Loop Road which will relieve congestion on the surrounding roadways. Palm trees and native landscaping will be planted along the way to provide a scenic route to the terminal. Cascading waterfalls and shimmering pools will greet people at the front of the building. The water feature elements are dual purpose, to enhance the peaceful scenery and serve as an irrigation reservoir with non-potable water for landscaped areas. The reservoir will contain nearly 140,000 gallons of non-potable water. The water will be filtered to eliminate particles and will prevent clogging the system. The reservoir also means more potable water will be available for the community.

“The project adds beauty and functionality to Kahului, and it also goes a long way toward meeting Governor David Ige’s goals for improving the environment, traffic, energy and the economy,” said Ford Fuchigami, Hawaii Department of Transportation Director. “This new facility exemplifies the Airports mission of providing an Airports System that reflects the unique spirit of Aloha and connects Hawaii with the world.”

The project will be completed in approximately three and a half years. It will employ more than 200 people on the site and a total industry employment of more than 500 jobs. The lead contractor is Hawaiian Dredging Construction Company, Inc. The design team is led by Demattei Wong Architects.

The cost of the new facility is approximately $340 million, funded solely by a Customer Facility Charge which consists of a daily charge of $4.50 to those who rent a car. No taxpayer funds will be used.

The Maui Conrac is part of the $2.7 billion statewide Modernization Program that is improving facilities at airports around the state. Kahului Airport is home to more than a dozen airlines that serve an average of nearly 8,000 passengers per day. Kahului Airport rents the most cars of all the airports in the state with an average of 2,200 cars rented every day, more than twice the amount at Honolulu.